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THE 



DOMESTIC ALTAR; 



MANUAL OF FAMILY PRAYERS; 



ADAPTED TO THE 



YARIOUS SEASONS OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL YEAR; 



PRAYERS AND THANKSGIVINGS, 



>jrmal QtcmtiM* 



BY THE REV. HARRY CROSWELL, D.D.. 

RECTOR OP TRINITY CHURCH, NEW HAVEN, CONN. 



FOURTH EDITION, 

REVISED, CORRECTED, AND ENLARGED. 




HARTFORD: 
PUBLISHED BY WM, J 
1856. 



sA&s* 



.02 



g5"6 



>AAAAAAAAA# 

Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 185fr, by 
HARRY CROSWELL, 

In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of Connecticut. 



STEREOTYPED BY 

RICHARD H. HOBBS, 

HARTFORD, CONN. 



PREFACE. 



A devotional work, under the title of 
" A Manual of Family Prayer," prepared 
by the subscriber in 1842, having passed 
through several editions, all of which are 
now exhausted, the compiler is induced to 
issue a new revised edition, with several 
additions, alterations, and corrections. 

The work was originally prepared, to 
supply a want long felt and expressed by 
members of the Episcopal Church. Among 
the excellent manuals already in use, there 
was none, so far as the author could ascer- 
tain, in which the daily devotions were 
adapted to the different seasons of the eccle- 
siastical year, as arranged and designated in 
our public formularies : the same prayers 
and thanksgivings, whether for a week or a 



IV PREFACE. 

month, being used indiscriminately during 
Festivals and Fasts, and in joyous and peni- 
tential seasons, without reference to the 
appropriate sentiments infused into the 
public services of the Church. 

In attempting to supply this defect, it is 
believed that all the public observances, as 
well as the various circumstances that may 
occur in a family, are amply provided for, 
without giving the work an expensive or 
inconvenient size. The divisions are gen- 
eral — comprising a series for Advent, Christ- 
mas, and Epiphany — another for the three 
weeks intervening between Epiphany and 
Lent — another for the season of Lent — an- 
other for Passion Week — another, extend- 
ing from Easter to Trinity Sunday — and 
another from Trinity to Advent : Besides 
special forms for distinguished days in the 
Calendar; and occasional Prayers and 
Thanksgivings, to be used with the daily 
devotions, as circumstances may require. 

The language employed in these forms, 
has been made to conform as far as practi 



PliEFACE. 



cable, with the style of the Scriptures and 
the Book of Common Prayer ; and, in all 
cases, entire simplicity has been studied. 
In the adoption of scriptural and liturgical 
phrases, no attempt has been made to avoid 
the selection of passages similar to those 
employed in other Manuals. Drawing from 
the same sources, expressions of the same 
nature must necessarily occur. 

Since the publication of the former edi- 
tions, it has been suggested, that a few addi- 
tional forms of Daily Prayer, without refer- 
ence to the seasons of the ecclesiastical 
year, might render the work more generally 
acceptable. There appears, however, no 
substantial reason for making such addition. 
A sufficient variety of forms may be found 
in the different parts of the book, to supply 
the want of those who are not disposed to 
conform to the ecclesiastical order under 
which they are arranged. The whole series 
of prayers, for example, from Trinity to Ad- 
vent, may be used at any season of the year, 
with strict propriety. 



VI PREFACE. 

With the earnest hope, that this little 
book may prove a welcome companion to 
many households, already familiar with the 
sacred duty of family worship, and operate 
as an encouragement to others to erect the 
Domestic Altar, it is humbly commended to 
the divine blessing, and to the favorable 
judgment of the Christian public. 

H. C. 

Rectory, New Haven, 1856. 



CONTENTS, 



Ikiot— €$Mm$s—*€$$w%. 



Page. 



Sunday Morning, 13 

Sunday Evening, 16 

Monday Morning, 18 

Monday Evening, 20 

Tuesday Morning, 22 

Tuesday Evening, 25 

"Wednesday Morning, 27 

Wednesday Evening, 29 

Thursday Morning, 32 

Thursday Evening, 34 

Friday Morning, 37 

Friday Evening, 39 

Saturday Morning, 41 

Saturday Evening, 44 

Evening before Christmas, . , 47 

Christmas Morning, 49 

Christmas Evening, 52 

Last Evening of the Year, 54 

First Morning of the Year, 57 

Collect for Epiphany, (January 6th,) <30 

#qiteagBainw, — #siagtfi!nut, — <fi,uinqnngrsimn. 

Sunday Morning, t ; 1 

Sunday Evening, 63 



V1U CONTENTS. 

Page. 

Monday Morning, 66 

Monday Evening, 68 

Tuesday Morning, 70 

Tuesday Evening, 73 

Wednesday Morning, 74 

Wednesday Evening, 77 

Thursday Morning, 79 

Thursday Evening, 81 

Friday Morning, 83 

Friday Evening, 85 

Saturday Morning, 88 

Saturday Evening, 90 

ttti 

Ash-Wednesday Morning, 93 

Ash-Wednesday Evening, 95 

Sunday Morning, 97 

Sunday Evening, 100 

Monday Morning, 102 

Monday Evening, 104 

Tuesday Morning, 107 

Tuesday Evening, 109 

Wednesday Morning, 112 

Wednesday Evening, 114 

Thursday Morning, 116 

Thursday Evening, 118 

Friday Morning, 121 

Friday Evening, 123 

Saturday Morning, 126 

Saturday Evening, 128 



CONTENTS. ix 

Page. 

Sunday Morning, 131 

Sunday Evening, 133 

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday Morn- 
ing, 136 

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday Eve- 

ing, 138 

Good Friday Morning, 140 

Good Friday Evening, 142 

Saturday Morning, 144 

Saturday Evening before Easter, ....146 

€min in €msb\ Muq. 

Easter Sunday — Morning, 149 

Easter Sunday — Evening, 151 

Sunday Morning, 154 

Sunday Evening, 156 

Monday Morning, 158 

Monday Evening, 160 

Tuesday Morning, 162 

Tuesday Evening, 164 

Wednesday Morning, 166 

Wednesday Evening, 169 

Thursday Morning, 1 V 1 

Thursday Evening, 1T3 

Friday Morning, 17t'» 

Friday Evening, ITS 

Saturday Morning, 180 

Saturday Evening, 182 

Ascension Day — Morning, 184 



X CONTENTS. 

Page. 

Ascension Day — Evening, 186 

Whit-Sunday Morning, 189 

Whit-Sunday Evening, 191 

€rittiti| tn atanrt, 

Trinity Sunday Morning, 194 

Trinity Sunday Evening, 196 

Sunday Morning, 198 

Sunday Evening, 201 

Monday Morning, 203 

Monday Evening, 205 

Tuesday Morning, 208 

Tuesday Evening, 210 

Wednesday Morning, 212 

Wednesday Evening, 215 

Thursday Morning, 217 

Thursday Evening, 220 

Friday Morning, 222 

Friday Evening, 224 

Saturday Morning, 226 

Saturday Evening, 228 

Morning of the Fourth of July, 231 

Thanksgiving Day — Morning, 233 

Thanksgiving Day — Evening, 235 

(Drrnsinnai ^rmpni raft ^raksginragB: 

TO BE USED IN CONNECTION WITH THE OTHER DEVOTIONS. 

frager*. 

For Communion Day Morning, 239 

After Baptism, 240 



CONTENTS. xi 

Page. 

After Confirmation, 240 

After Marriage, 241 

For the Children of a Family, 241 

For Sunday Schools, 242 

On the Birth-day of a Member of the Family, . . 243 

For a sick Person, 243 

For a person dangerously sick, 244 

For a blessing on the means of recovery, 244 

For a sick Person at the point of departure, .... 245 

For a sick Child, 246 

For a Person troubled in mind or conscience, . . . . 247 

When under Affliction, 247 

After a Funeral, 248 

For a Person at Sea, 249 

For a Person on a Journey, 249 

After an Ordination, 250 

For Conventions, 250 

For Rain, 251 

For Fair Weather, 251 

In time of Dearth and Famine, 252 

In time of War and Tumults, 252 

In time of great Sickness and Mortality, 253 

After Communion, 254 

For the beginning of Recovery from Sickness, . . 254 

For Recovery from Sickness, 255 

For a safe Return from Sea, 256 

For a safe Return from a Journey, 256 

After the birth of a Child, 2M 

For Rain, 257 



Xli CONTENTS. 

Pagz. 

For Fair Weather, 257 

For Plenty, 258 

For a return of Peace, 258 

For the restoration of tranquility at home, 259 

For deliverance from great Sickness and Mortality, 259 

fesrags raiir €mu nt $nhb. 

Before Meals, 260 

After Meals, 260 



FAMILY PRATERS. 



^irM-C|ristmls-%i||au^ 



SUNDAY MORNING. 

Our Father, who art in Heaven, Hallowed be 
thy name ; thy Kingdom come; thy Will be done 
on Earth, as it is in Heaven ; Give us this day our 
daily bread ; And forgive us our trespasses, as we 
forgive those who trespass against us; And lead 
us not into temptation ; But deliver us from evil ; 
For thine is the Kingdom, and the Power, and the 
Glory, forever and ever. Amen. 

Almighty God, who has set apart this day for 
thyself, and hast commanded us to keep it holy to 
thy name, look down upon us in mercy, while we 
dedicate to thee the first fruits of the morning. 
Give us grace, that we may cast away the works 
of darkness, and put upon us the armor of light, 
now in the time of this mortal life, in which thy 
Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in groat humility. 
Prepare us for the various duties which arc now 
before us, and especially for the solemn services of 
2 



14 ADVENT — CHRISTMAS — EPIPHANY. 

thy sanctuary. May we go with the multitude to 
thy house of prayer, with the voice of joy and 
praise. There may we give thee the glory which is 
due unto thy name, and worship thee in the beauty 
of holiness. And, blessed Lord, who hast 
caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our 
learning; grant that we may in such wise hear 
them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, 
that by patience and comfort of thy holy word, 
we may embrace and ever hold fast, the blessed 
hope of everlasting life, which thou hast given us 
in our Saviour Jesus Christ. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 

O Lord, remember in mercy all those who may 
be prevented, by sickness or any other providential 
impediment, from attending the ordinances of thy 
house, and the habitation which their soul loveth. 
Let thy presence be with them in their private 
meditations. Endue them with a spirit of suppli- 
cation and praise. Let their prayer come up 
before thee as incense, and the lifting up of their 
hands as an acceptable sacrifice. Look with pity, 
Lord, upon the careless and negligent, and 
especially upon those who have hitherto misspent 
or profaned thy sabbaths. Grant them yet a day 
of grace, and still further space for repentance ; 
and teach them so to improve the opportunities 
that remain, that they may redeem the time which 
they have lost, and finally be accepted of thee> 
through the all-prevailing intercession of thy 
blessed Son. 



ADVENTS-CHRISTMAS — EPIPHANY. 15 

Pardon, Lord, the infirmities and imperfec- 
tions of thy most faithful and devoted servants, 
and manifest thy power in their weakness. Sus- 
tain them in all their troubles ; guide them in all 
their difficulties; support them in the hour of 
danger, and guard them in the day of temptation. 
Let thy bountiful grace and mercy help and 
deliver them ; that so they may pass through all 
the trials of this life in peace and safety, and 
finally rejoice in the triumphs of redeeming 
grace. 

O Lord Jesus Christ, who at thy first coming 
didst send thy messenger to prepare thy way 
before thee ; grant that the ministers whom thou 
hast sent to preach thy word, and the appointed 
stewards of thy mysteries, may faithfully and dil- 
igently discharge their sacred duties ; that they 
may prepare and make ready thy way, by turn- 
ing the hearts of the disobedient to the wisdom 
of the just; that so, at thy second coming to 
judge the world, both they who preach and they 
who hear, may be found an acceptable people in 
thy sight, who livest and reignest with the Father, 
and the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without 
end. Amen. 

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the 
love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy 
Ghost, be with us all evermore. Amen. 



16 ADVENT — CHKISTMAS — EPIPHANY. 

SUNDAY EVENING. 

Almighty and everlasting God, we bless thee 
for our creation, preservation, and all the bless- 
ings of this life ; but, above all, for thine unspeak- 
able love in the redemption of the world by our 
Lord Jesus Christ ; for the means of grace which 
thou hast bestowed upon us, and for the hope of 
glory which thou hast set before us. Heavenly 
Father, make us duly sensible of thy most gra- 
cious gift, whereby we obtain the pardon of our 
sins, and all things necessary for our eternal sal- 
vation. "We adore thee for the great mystery of 
the incarnation ; for the coming of thy blessed 
Son in the flesh to dwell among us ; for the per- 
fect example set before us in his holy life; for 
his painful atonement for the sins of the world ; 
and for his glorious resurrection from the grave, 
whereby he hath given us assurance, that he is 
able also to raise our bodies from the dust, and to 
exalt us to his own right hand in the kingdom of 
heaven. 

We pray thee, O Lord, to impress deeply on 
our minds the great and solemn truths revealed 
in thy word ; that amidst the cares and occupa- 
tions of the world, we may neither forget our 
Christian privileges, nor neglect the duties to 
which we are called. Convince us of the vanity 
of the world, of the shortness of life, and of the 
unspeakable importance of preparing for eternity. 
Save us from the sins of indifference, carelessness, 



ADVENT — CHRISTMAS — EPIPHANY. 17 

and levity, as well as from bold and presumptu- 
ous transgression. Purify our hearts by thy Holy 
Spirit, that we may be cleansed from every secret 
fault, and every unholy passion. And pardon, O 
Lord, the multitude of our past iniquities ; our 
forgetful ness of thee and of all thy mercies, and 
the coldness and hardness of our hearts, in the 
midst of all thy bounties. Thou hast nourished 
and brought us up as thy children, and we have 
rebelled against thee. Thou hast sustained, and 
protected, and comforted us. Thou hast borne 
with our infirmities, and withheld thy chastening 
hand when we deserved nothing but punishment. 
Thou hast laid us under peculiar obligations to 
love and serve thee, and to praise and magnify 
thy holy name. But how little have we honored 
thee ! How little have we done to glorify thee ! 
Lord, forgive our ingratitude to thee. Enable 
us to look up to Jesus, the great Mediator of the 
new covenant, for the remission of our sins, and 
for all the benefits of his glorious redemption. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 

We intercede with thee, gracious God, for all 
our relatives, friends, and brethren ; and especially 
for those who are in sorrow, sickness, or any kind 
of trouble. Give them the consolations which 
thou alone canst bestow. Put into their hearts a 
holy trust in thee, and a sure hope in thy prom- 
ises. And may those who arc compassed with 
infirmities, and who feel that their outward man 
is perishing, be strengthened with might by thy 
2* 



18 ADVENT — CHRISTMAS — EPIPHANY. 

spirit in the inner man ; that so their light afflic- 
tion, which is but for a moment, may work out 
for them a far more exceeding and eternal weight 
of glory. 

Take us now, God, under thy gracious care 
and protection this night. Let thy blessing attend 
us ; and thy good spirit rest upon us ; through 
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

Our Father, &c. 

The grace, &c. 



MONDAY MOKNING. 



God, our heavenly Father, we bless thee for 
the return of this morning light. We bless thee 
for thy guardianship and care during the hours of 
darkness. Enable us, we beseech thee, to devote 
the first fruits of the day to thee. Accept our 
humble thanks for all thy mercies, and especially 
for the gift of thine Incarnate Son. Blessed be 
the Lord God of Israel, that he hath redeemed us, 
and raised up a mighty salvation for us ; that the 
day-spring from on high hath visited us, to give 
light to them that sit in darkness and in the 
shadow of death, and to guide our feet in the way 
of peace. We thank thee for that revelation, by 
which the power and coming of our Lord Jesus 
Christ are made known to us. We thank thee 
for the gracious offers of salvation, through his 



ADVENT — CHEISTMAS — EPIPHANY. 19 

name and mediation ; and for that atoning sacri- 
fice, through which our sins, though they be as 
scarlet, shall be as white as snow, and though 
they be red like crimson, shall be as wool. We 
thank thee especially for the sure word of proph- 
ecy, whereunto we are admonished to take heed, as 
unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the 
day dawn, and the day-star arise in our hearts. 
And we beseech thee, God, to grant us grace, 
that we may not receive this revelation in vain ; 
that we may not be of the number of those who 
choose darkness rather than light, because their 
deeds are evil : But enable us to walk as becom- 
eth the children of light. 

Guide and direct us, heavenly Father, in the 
duties of this day. May a sense of thy continual 
presence abide with us, to restrain every evil pas- 
sion and propensity, and to support and encour- 
age us in the discharge of our respective duties. 
Let thy fatherly hand be ever over us. Let thy 
Holy Spirit be ever with us ; and so lead us in 
the knowledge and obedience of thy word, that 
in the end we may obtain everlasting life, through 
Jesus Christ our Lord. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 

We commend to thy fatherly care and protec- 
tion, all our friends and relatives. Give them 
grace as they may severally stand in need ; and 
order all things for their present and eternal good. 
Be a present God to all who are in any kind of 
trouble. Show the light of thy countenance to 



20 ADVENT — CHRISTMAS — EPIPHANY. 

those who are weary and heav3 r -laden with the 
burden of their sins; and comfort and sustain 
those who are suffering under any temporal calam- 
ity. May they receive thy chastisements as the 
loving correction of a kind and beneficent parent, 
who dost chasten them for their profit, and correct 
them that they may live. And in the days of 
their prosperity, give them a grateful sense of all 
thy mercies; and teach them, as dutiful children, 
and the humble partakers of thy bounty, to as- 
cribe all the honor and glory to thee, their gra- 
cious benefactor, through Jesus Christ our Lord. 
Amen. 

Our Father, &c. 

The grace, &c. 



MONDAY EVENING. 



Our Father, &c. 

O God, merciful Father, we come before thee 
this night, as a sinful people, laden with iniquity. 
"We humbly acknowledge that we have rebelled 
against thee. We have forsaken thine holy law, 
and provoked thee to anger. But, Grod, we 
beseech thee, rebuke us not in thy indignation, 
neither chasten us in thy displeasure. Look down 
upon us, in mercy and compassion ; and, for the 
love of thy dear Son, forgive us all our sins. 
May the sound of thy blessed gospel, like the 



ADVENT — CHRISTMAS — EPIPHANY. 2 1 

voice of one crying in the wilderness, awaken us 
to true repentance; that the hearts of the disobe- 
dient may be turned to the wisdom of the just ; 
that, in every place, the way of the Lord may be 
prepared ; and that all flesh may see the salvation 
of God. Baptize us, heavenly Father, with thy 
Holy Spirit ; that we may bring forth fruits wor- 
thy of repentance; that we may put away the evil 
of our doings ; that we may cease to do evil, and 
learn to do well; that so, when the axe is laid unto 
the root of the trees, we may, through thy great 
goodness, escape from the wrath to come. 

We bless thee, Lord God of Israel, for thy 
manifold mercies in Christ Jesus. Through him, 
thou hast visited and redeemed thy people ; and 
hast raised up a mighty salvation for us in the 
house of thy servant David, as thou hast spoken 
by the mouth of thy holy prophets since the 
world began. Through him, mercy and truth 
have met together, righteousness and peace have 
embraced each other. With his own right hand, 
and with his holy arm, hath he gotten himself 
the victory. Our souls do magnify thee, Lord; 
and our spirits rejoice in God our Saviour. 

God, let thy blessing rest upon us this night. 
Make- us deeply sensible of our helplessness, and 
dependence upon thee. Let us meditate on our 
frailty, and consider the shortness and uncertainty 
of our life. let us remember, that we walk in 
a vain shadow; that our days are but a span long 5 
and that every man living is altogether vanity. 



22 ADVENT — CHRISTMAS — EPIPHANY. 

Let us remember that all flesh is as grass, and 
flourisheth as the flower of the field : It is gone 
when the wind passeth over it, and the place 
thereof shall know it no more. May these sol- 
emn thoughts humble us before thee. Thy mer- 
ciful goodness endureth forever upon them that 
fear thee. Help us to cast away all confidence in 
the flesh, and to put on the Lord Jesus Christ. 
Whether we live, may we live unto the Lord; 
and whether we die, may we die unto the Lord ; 
so that whether we live, or whether we die, we 
may be the Lord's. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 

And now may the God of hope fill us with all 
joy and peace in believing ; that we may abound 
in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost ; 
to whom, with the Father and the Son, be all 
honor and glory, world without end. Amen. 

The grace, &c. 



TUESDAY MORNING. 

Our Father, &c. 

O Lord Grod, our heavenly Father, grant us 
grace, at this time, to present our bodies a living 
sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto thee, which is our 
reasonable service. Let us come before thee, 
under a grateful sense of all thy goodness. We 
will exalt thee : We will praise thy name ; for 



ADVENT — CHKISTMAS — EPIPHANY. 23 

thou hast done wonderful things in thy righteous- 
ness. We will be glad and rejoice in thy salva- 
tion. Every day will we give thanks unto thee, 
and praise thy name for ever and ever. 

We commend ourselves, O God, to thy care 
and protection this day. Defend us with thy 
mighty power. Stretch forth thine hand to deliver 
us from every danger. Guide and direct us by 
thy good spirit; that we may shun every evil 
way, and walk securely in thy commandments. 
Grant us grace, that we fall not under the power 
of temptation, nor indulge in any secret or open 
sin. Purify our hearts, and regulate our desires, 
and restrain our passions, that all our doings, 
being ordered by thy governance, may be right- 
eous in thy sight, through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 

We bless thee, O God, that thou hast caused 
thy holy scriptures to be written for our learning: 
And we beseech thee to grant, that they may 
prove profitable to us, for doctrine, for reproof, 
for correction, for instruction in righteousness; 
that we may be perfected in obedience, and thor- 
oughly furnished unto all good works. May we 
all be so taught of thee, that thy law may be 
written in our hearts ; that we may call upon thee 
as our God, and be acknowledged as thy people. 

Grant, O Lord, that the ministers of thy word 
may go forth in all the world, preaching the bap- 
tism of repentance for the remission of sins. 
Grant that the dark and benighted regions of the 



24 ADVENT — CHRISTMAS — EPIPHANY. 

earth may hear the voice of redeeming love ; that 
the word that goeth forth out of Zion may extend 
to the uttermost bounds of the earth ; and that all 
men may know thee, from the greatest to the 
least. Hasten the day, O God, when the moun- 
tain of the Lord's house shall be established in 
the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted 
above the hills, and all nations shall flow unto it. 
May many people go and say, Come ye, and let 
us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the 
house of the God of Jacob ; and he will teach us 
of his ways, and we will walk in his paths. 
Hasten the day, when the nations of the earth 
shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their 
spears into pruning-hooks ; when nation shall not 
lift up sword against nation, neither learn war any 
more ; when all may walk in the light of the 
Lord, and great shall be the peace of thy chil- 
dren. 

Prepare us, O God, for the hour of death, and 
for the day of judgment; that when thy blessed 
Son, who hast ascended into heaven, and sitteth 
on thy right hand, shall come again, with glory, 
to judge both the quick and dead, we may be 
ready to say, Lo, this is our God ; we have waited 
for him, and he will save us. Grant this, for 
Jesus Christ's sake, to whom, with thee, Father, 
and the Holy Ghost, be all honor, and glory, now 
and forever. Amen. 



ADVENT — CHRISTMAS — EPIPHANY. 25 

TUESDAY EVENING. 

Almighty and most merciful Father, we ap- 
proach thy throne with humble reverence and 
godly fear. Bow down thine ear, we beseech 
thee, and hear us, for thy dear Son's sake : And 
grant us thy grace, to purify our thoughts, and to 
direct our meditations. Set a watch, Lord, be- 
fore our mouths, and keep the door of our lips ; 
that this, our evening sacrifice, may be accepta- 
ble unto thee. 

We acknowledge the manifold and great mer- 
cies which thou hast bestowed upon us this day. 
Thy favors have been multiplied, and demand 
our thankfulness. O Lord, who is like unto thee, 
that thou hast thy dwelling so high, and yet hum- 
blest thyself to behold all things in heaven and 
earth. Thou hast delivered our souls from death, 
and our eyes from tears ; thou hast kept our feet 
from falling ; thou hast permitted us to walk be- 
fore thee, in the light of the living. 0, that we 
might praise thee, according to thy great good- 
ness ! 0, that we might magnify thy name for- 
ever! 

Be merciful, God, unto all our friends, rela- 
tives, and brethren. Lift up the light of thy 
countenance upon those who are here present, 
that they may worship thee in spirit and in truth ; 
that they may know thee to be their God, and feel 
the power of thy grace in the pardon of their sins. 
To those who are absent, whatsoever be their 

3 



2 6 ADVENT — CHRISTMAS — EPIPHANY. 

condition, or wheresoever thy providence shall 
direct them, extend thy guardian care and pro- 
tection. Let thy Fatherly hand be ever over 
them, to deliver them from peril and danger: 
Let thy Holy Spirit be ever with them, to keep 
them from the power of temptation : And so lead 
them in the knowledge and obedience of thy 
word, that in the end they may obtain everlasting 
life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 

Let a continual sense of thy presence abide 
with our civil rulers and magistrates; and so re- 
plenish them with the grace of thy Holy Spirit, 
that they may always incline to thy will, and 
walk in thy way : Endue them plenteously with 
heavenly gifts ; grant them in health and pros- 
perity long to live ; and finally, after this life, to 
attain everlasting joy and felicity. 

O Lord, may we remember, at the close of every- 
day, that the end of all things is at hand. May 
we remember, that the time must soon come, 
when we shall stand before thy judgment-seat, 
Christ ; when every knee shall bow, and every 
tongue confess, to thee. And, O God, when those 
mighty signs shall appear, which thou hast fore- 
told in the scriptures ; when the powers of heaven 
shall be shaken ; and when the Son of man shall 
be seen coming in the clouds, with power and 
great glory ; may we be found among the blessed 
number whose redemption draweth nigh : May 
we be prepared to unite in the triumphant song 



ADVENT — CHRISTMAS — EPIPHANY. 27 

of Zion — Hosannali to the Son of David ; blessed 
is lie that cometh in the name of the Lord : Ho- 
sannah in the highest ! 

We ask for all, in the name and for the sake, 
and through the merits of Jesus Christ our Lord; 
in whose all-prevailing words we sum up these 
our petitions: — 

Our Father, &c. 



WEDNESDAY MOENING. 

Our Father, &c. 

Almighty and everlasting God, who hast taught 
us, in thy holy word, to make prayers, and sup- 
plications, and intercessions, and to give thanks 
for all men ; we humbly beseech thee favorably 
to receive these our prayers, which we offer unto 
thy divine majesty. We bless thee for thy great 
mercy, in opening a door of access to thy throne, 
through the intercession of thy dear Son, who is 
revealed to us as the way, the truth, and the lifa 
We bless thee for thy gracious promise, that 
whatsoever we shall faithfully ask of thee, in his 
name, shall be given unto us. We come before 
thee, pleading this, thy unfailing assurance; and 
we beseech thee to look down upon us in mercy, 
and grant our petition for Jesus Christ's sake. 

We pray for thy holy Church throughout the 
world. Inspire its ministers and members with 



28 ADVENT— CHRISTMAS — EPIPHANY. 

the spirit of truth, unity, and concord; that it 
may be delivered from all false doctrine, heresy, 
and schism; from hardness of heart, and con- 
tempt of thy word and commandment ; and grant 
that all those who confess thy holy name, may 
agree in the truth of thy holy word, and live in 
peace, and harmony, and godly love. 

We pray for all christian rulers and magis- 
trates; beseeching thee so to direct and dispose 
their hearts, that they may truly and impartially 
administer justice, to the punishment of wicked- 
ness and vice, and to the maintenance of thy true 
religion and virtue. 

We pray for our common country; that its 
civil, religious, and benevolent institutions, may 
enjoy thy blessing ; that its schools and semina- 
ries of learning may flourish and prosper ; that 
health, and peace, and plenteousness may abound ; 
that righteousness, which alone exaiteth a nation, 
may prevail ; and that sin, which is a reproach to 
any people, may not be our ruin. 

We pray for all sorts and conditions of men ; 
that thou wouldst give them thy heavenly grace ; 
and especially to this family here assembled in 
thy name and presence ; that with meekness of 
heart and due reverence, they may hear and obey 
thy commandments ; truly serving thee in holiness 
and righteousness all the days of their life. 

We pray for all those, who, in this transitory 
life, are in trouble, sorrow, need, sickness, or any 
other adversity. Of thy great goodness, Lord, 



ADVENT — CHRISTMAS — EPIPHANY. 29 

comfort and succor them. Show them the light 
of thy countenance; sustain them in all their 
trials ; and make all things to work together for 
their present and eternal welfare. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 

We thank thee, God, for the good example 
of thy blessed servants, who have departed this 
life in thy faith and fear. Give us grace, so to 
follow them in their holy living, that with them 
we may be partakers of thy heavenly kingdom. 

We ask for all, in the name and for the sake of 
Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with thee, 
Father, and the Holy Ghost, be all honor and 
glory, world without end. Amen. 



WEDNESDAY EVENING. 

Our Father, &c. 

Almighty God, the giver of every good and 
perfect gift, we bless thee for another opportunity 
of coming into thy presence ; and we beseech thee, 
of thy great goodness, to accept our thanksgiv- 
ings and receive our prayers. May we approach 
thy throne with due reverence and godly fear ; 
knowing that thou art everywhere present, and 
searchest out all our ways; that there is not a 
word in our tongue, nor a thought or intent of our 
heart, but thou, O Lord, knowest it altogether. 

We acknowledge all our sinfulness. We have 
3* 



30 ADVENT — CHRISTMAS — EPIPHANY. 

gone astray like lost and wandering sheep. But, 
O thou Shepherd of Israel, who came to seek and 
to save that which was lost, may we hear thy 
voice, and return unto thee. And we beseech 
thee to have compassion upon us ; and bind up 
the broken; and reclaim the wandering; and re- 
store us to the paths of righteousness and peace. 

When compassed about with infirmities, and 
sorrows, and sufferings, may we repose in perfect 
trust and confidence on thy promise, that thou 
wilt swallow up death in victory, and wipe away 
tears from off all faces. May we look upon our 
blessed Saviour as he is revealed to us, a King 
reigning in righteousness. May he be unto us as 
a hiding place from the wind, and a covert from 
the tempest ; as rivers of water in a dry place ; as 
the shadow of a great rock in a weary land. 

We commend to thy providential care, all 
Christian families, and especially those of our rel- 
atives and friends. Be thou present with them, 
when they assemble together this night to worship 
thee; and hearken to their prayers, and assist 
them by thy grace. And grant that the united 
supplications of all thy people, in every place, 
may ascend to thy throne, and call down an an- 
swer of peace and consolation. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 

Have mercy, God, upon the poor, the desolate, 
and the oppressed. Be thou the widow's God, and 
a father of the fatherless ; and raise up, we beseech 
thee, friends and benefactors for the needy and 



ADVENT CHRISTMAS — EPIPHANY. 31 

the destitute ; that they may be defended in all 
adversities, and provided for in all their neces- 
sities. 

We pray for our enemies, persecutors, and 
slanderers. Have pity and compassion upon 
them ; and grant them grace to see their wicked- 
ness, and turn from their sins. Forgive them, O 
Lord, in thy mercy ; and grant us a spirit of for- 
giveness, that we may be ready to do unto others, 
as we would that thou shouldst do unto us. 

Extend thy compassion, heavenly Father, to 
those who are spiritually blind and ignorant. 
Cause the wicked to forsake his way, and the un- 
righteous man his thoughts, that he may turn 
unto thee, and be abundantly pardoned. 

Send out the light of thy everlasting gospel to 
the benighted heathen, and to all who are dwell- 
ing in darkness and the shadow of death. May 
the glad tidings of salvation be heard among 
them, as the voice of one crying in the wilderness, 
Prepare ye the way of the Lord, and make his 
paths straight. 

"We ask for all, in the name and for the sake 
of Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with theo, 
Father, and the Holy Ghost, be all honor and 
glory, world without end. Amen. 



32 ADVENT — CHRISTMAS — EPIPHANY. 

THURSDAY MORNING. 

Our Father, &c. 

O God, we acknowledge thee as our Almighty- 
Creator and most gracious preserver. Thou hast 
set all the borders of the earth : Thou hast made 
summer and winter : The day is thine, and the 
night is thine : Thou hast prepared the light and 
the sun. By thy goodness, we are brought to the 
light of another day. We lift our eyes to thee, 
from whom cometh our help. Make ready our 
hearts, O Grod, to speak thy praise. Let them 
that put their trust in thee, rejoice. Let them 
that love thy name be joyful and glad in thee. 
We will give thanks unto thee, Lord, with our 
whole heart ; with grateful lips will we speak of 
all thy marvelous works. 

We especially thank thee, heavenly Father, 
that thou hast vouchsafed to call us to the know- 
ledge of thy grace and faith in thee. We bless 
thee for the gift of thy dear Son; and for the 
glorious immortality which thou hast brought to 
light, through his incarnation and mediation. 
We bless thee for the hope set before us in thy 
everlasting gospel; and for the revelation, by 
which alone we are made wise unto salvation. 
May our knowledge be increased, and our faith 
confirmed ; that we may continue thy servants, 
and finally attain thy gracious promises. 

God, enable us, through grace, to keep in 
lively remembrance the solemn vows by which 



ADVENT — CHRISTMAS — EPIPHANY. 33 

we are bound to thee in our baptismal covenant. 
May we truly renounce the devil and all his works, 
the vain pomp and glory of the world, with all 
covetous desires of the flesh ; so that we may 
neither follow nor be led by them. May we 
steadfastly believe all the articles of our Christian 
faith ; and obediently keep thy holy command- 
ments, and walk in the same all the days of our 
life. Grant that the old Adam may be so buried, 
that the new man may be raised up in us. Grant 
that all sinful affections may die in us, and that 
all things belonging to the Spirit may live and 
grow in us. Grant that we may have power and 
strength to have victory, and to triumph against 
the devil, the world, and the flesh. Grant that 
whosoever is dedicated to thee, through the offices 
and ministry of thy Church, may be endued with 
heavenly virtues, and finally, by thy mercy, re- 
ceive the rewards of thy everlasting kingdom. 

May we each of us remember, that by baptism 
we have put on Christ ; and that it is our part and 
duty, being made the children of God and of the 
light, by faith in Jesus Christ, to walk answerably 
to our Christian calling, and as becometh the 
children of light ; that baptism representeth unto 
us our profession, which is to follow the example 
of our Saviour Christ, and to be made like unto 
him; that as he died and rose again for us 
should we, who are baptized, die from sin, and 
rise again unto righteousness; continually morti- 
fying all our evil and corrupt affections, and 



34 ADVENT — CHRISTMAS — EPIPHANY. 

daily proceeding in all virtue and godliness of 
living. 

[Occasional Pra3~ers, &c] 

Guide and direct us heavenly Father, in all the 
duties and cares of this day. Protect us from 
every evil and danger. Guard us against tempta- 
tion, and sustain us amid the trials and troubles 
of this transitory life. Be merciful unto our 
friends and relatives, whether present or absent. 
Make them partakers of thy grace, and of all the 
benefits and consolations of thy gospel ; through 
Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with thee, 
Father, and the Holy Ghost, be honor and glory, 
now and forever. Amen. 



THURSDAY EVENING. 

O Lord God, heavenly Father, we humbly be- 
seech thee to look down upon us in mercy, and 
receive our prayers and supplications, not for our 
merits or deservings, but for the sake of our 
blessed Redeemer, and exalted Intercessor. En- 
able us, at this time, to present ourselves a living 
sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto thee, which is our 
reasonable service: And receive us, as thou hast 
promised by thy well beloved Son, saying, Ask, 
and ye shall have ; seek, and ye shall find; knock, 
and it shall be opened unto you : So give now 
unto us who ask ; let us who seek, find ; open the 



ADVENT — CHRISTMAS — EPIPHANY. 35 

gate unto us who knock ; that we may enjoy the 
everlasting benefits of thy transforming grace, 
and finally come to thy eternal kingdom. 

Give us a grateful sense, God, of all thy mer- 
cies in Christ Jesus ; and make us partakers of 
the great salvation which he has revealed to us. 
Thou hast called unto all the ends of the earth to 
look unto thee and be saved. The word has gone 
out of thy mouth in righteousness, and shall not 
return, that unto thee every knee shall bow, and 
every tongue confess thy name. 0, grant us 
grace, that we, thy servants, may be found among 
the happy number who obey this call, and sub- 
mit to thy righteousness. And hasten the fulfill- 
ment of thy gracious promise, that thou wilt com- 
fort Zion, and build up her waste places ; that 
thou wilt make her wilderness like Eden, and her 
desert like the garden of the Lord, that joy and 
gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, 
and the voice of melody. O God, let thy right- 
eousness draw near ; let thy salvation go forth ; 
let the isles wait upon thee, and on thine arm let 
them trust: And let the redeemed of the Lord 
return and come with singing unto Zion ; that 
everlasting joy may be upon their head; that 
they may obtain joy and gladness; and that sor- 
row and sighing may flee away. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 

Hear our supplications, heavenly Father, for 
all sorts and conditions of men. thou, on 
whom the Spirit of the Lord rested : who wast 



3 6 ADVENT — CHRISTMAS — EPIPHANY. 

anointed to preach the gospel to the poor ; who 
wast sent to heal the broken-hearted, to proclaim 
deliverance to the captives, and recovery of sight 
to the blind ; to set at liberty those that were 
bruised ; and to preach the acceptable year of the 
Lord; have compassion on all those who are in 
sorrow, sickness, or any other trouble. Keep 
them by thy mighty power, and comfort them by 
thy grace. Be gracious and merciful to all our 
relatives and friends. May they look up to thee 
in humble confidence and trust, and commit all 
their concerns into thy hands, as a constant pre- 
server and bountiful benefactor. Guard us in 
safety through the silent watches of this night, 
and bring us in health and peace to the beginning 
of another day. And may it be our purpose and 
desire, with our renewed strength and ability, so 
to serve thee in this world, that in the world to 
come we may have life everlasting. Grant this, 
heavenly Father, for the sake of Jesus Christ, our 
blessed Lord and Saviour, in whose perfect form 
of words we sum up these our petitions : — 

Our Father, &c. 

Unto God's gracious care and protection we 
now commit ourselves for this night. The Lord 
bless us and keep us. The Lord make his face 
to shine upon us, and be merciful unto us. The 
Lord lift up his countenance upon us, and give 
us peace both now and evermore. Amen 



ADVENT — CHRISTMAS — EPIPHANY. 37 

FRIDAY MORNING, 

Almighty and everlasting God, look in mercy 
upon our infirmities. We acknowledge our help- 
lessness and dependence. Without thee we can 
do nothing. We are surrounded by dangers and 
temptations ; and by reason of the frailty of our 
nature, we can not always stand upright. But 
thou, God, art able to sustain us. Thy hand is 
not shortened that it can not save ; neither is thy 
car heavy, that it can not hear. Have pity 
upon us, God of our salvation. Grant that our 
iniquities may not separate between us and thy 
mercies. Let not our sins cause thee to hide thy 
face from us. In all our necessities, stretch forth 
thy right hand to help and defend us. Give us 
such strength and protection as may support us 
in all dangers, and carry us in safety through all 
our temptations. Knowing that thou art rich in 
mercy to all who call upon thee in the name of 
thy dear Son; give us faith to believe thy word, 
and to rely on thy promises ; that our prayers 
may come up before thee as an acceptable offering, 
and that they may be heard and answered, through 
the merits and intercession of our blessed Saviour. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 

O God, thou hast been found of them that 
sought thee not. Thou hast been made manifest 
to them that asked not after thee. May the sound 
of the everlasting gospel be spread abroad from 
shore to shore, until all the nations of the world 
4 



38 ADVENT — CHRISTMAS — EPIPHANY. 

be turned unto thee, and all the kindreds of the 
earth shall worship before thee. Be thou exalted 
among the heathen. Let them that dwell in the 
wilderness kneel before thee. Let the kings of 
the earth fall down at thy footstool. Let all the 
people of the earth do thee service. Let thy name 
be glorified among all the posterities of men, who 
shall be blessed through thee. Let the heathen 
praise thee. Let all the earth be filled with thy 
majesty. 

We bless thee, God, for having cast our lot 
in a land of gospel light and knowledge. May 
we be kept by thy grace, from any misimprovement 
of our great privileges. Keep thy Church and 
household continually in thy true religion. Grant 
that we, who profess to know thee, and to hope 
in thy mercies, may walk circumspectly in all thy 
commandments. Enable us to fulfill our respec- 
tive obligations to thee and to each other. May 
no occasion be given to the enemies of religion to 
blaspheme thy holy name. May we show our 
love to thee, by following thy precepts, and living 
a life of purity and holiness. May we look away 
from the things which are seen, and are temporal, 
and fix our hopes, and affections, and desires, on 
the things that are not seen, and are eternal. 
And may we remember that when our day of pro- 
bation has passed away, and our years are brought 
to an end, we must all appear before the judgment 
seat of Christ, that every one may receive the 
things done in his body, and be punished or re- 
warded according to what he hath done, whether 



ADVENT — CHRISTMAS — EPIPHANY. 89 

it be good, or whether it be evil. And knowing 
the terror of the Lord, may we be persuaded, 
now in the time of this mortal life, to do the will 
of our heavenly Father, with all fidelity and dili- 
gence. Direct us especially in all the duties of 
this day, that in all our works begun, continued, 
and ended in thee, we may glorify thy holy name, 
and finally, by thy mercy, obtain everlasting life, 
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

Our Father, &c. 

The grace, &c. 



FRIDAY EVENING. 

O God, whose blessed Son came into the world 
to redeem us from sin and death, and was mani- 
fested, that he might destroy the works of the 
devil, and make us the sons of God and heirs of 
eternal life ; grant us grace, we beseech thee, to 
seek with earnestness and diligence, the benefits of 
this great salvation. May we look with humble 
trust and confidence for the pardon of our sins, 
through the mediation of our ever blessed Re- 
deemer; and may we obtain that lively hope, 
which is an anchor to the soul, sure and steadfast 
And having this hope, may we, through the sanc- 
tifying influences of thy Holy Spirit, purify our- 
selves, according to the pattern and example of 
our blessed Saviour Jesus Ghrisl ; that when he 



40 ADVENT — CHRISTMAS — EPIPHANY. 

shall appear again with power and great glory, 
we may be made like unto him, in his eternal 
and glorious kingdom. 

We praise thee, God, for all the manifesta- 
tions of thy goodness to a lost and ruined world. 
Great and marvelous are thy works, Lord God 
Almighty. Just and true are thy ways, thou 
King of Saints. Be it our delight to praise thee, 
and glorify thy name. Let all the people come 
and worship before thee. Make bare thine holy 
arm in the eyes of all the nations. Let all the 
ends of the earth see the salvation of God. May 
the Eedeemer, the Holy One of Israel, have the 
heathen for his inheritance, and the uttermost 
parts of the earth for his possession. Though the 
mountains depart and the hills be removed, let 
not thy kindness depart from those who fear thee ; 
neither let the covenant of thy peace be removed. 
As the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the 
garden causeth the things that are sown in it to 
spring forth; so, Lord God, cause righteous- 
ness and praise to spring forth before all the na- 
tions. Let the people praise thee, God, yea, 
let all the people praise thee. 

Put thy Spirit into the hearts of thy servants 
whom thou hast called to preach thy living word. 
Beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gos- 
pel of peace, and bring the glad tidings of salva- 
tion ! May they go forth on this mission of mer- 
cy, guided by thy truth, sustained by thy power, 
and animated by thy Spirit. May they go forth, 



ADVENT — CHRISTMAS — EPIPHANY. 41 

preaching repentance for the remission of sins. 
May they go forth, making disciples of all nations, 
baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of 
the Son, and of the Holy Ghost ; until the king- 
doms of the world become the kingdoms of 
Christ, and righteousness and peace cover the face 
of the earth, as the waters cover the sea. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 

We bless thee, heavenly Father, for the mer- 
cies bestowed upon us this day. We humble 
ourselves before thee as unworthy sinners, be- 
seeching thee to watch over us this night, and to 
protect us from all the evils to which we may be 
exposed. Above all, keep us from sin, and from 
all the wiles of the adversary. Let us repose un- 
der the shadow of thy wing, till every danger be 
over, and we are brought again before thee, to re- 
new our prayers and praises, and to enter again 
upon our respective duties. 

We ask for all, in the name and for the sake of 
Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with thee, O 
Father, and thee, Holy Ghost, be all honor 
and glory, world without end. Amen. 

Our Father, &c. 

The grace, &c. 



SATURDAY MORNING. 



Lord God Almighty, we bless thee for another 
opportunity of coming into thy presence. We 



42 ADVENT — CHRISTMAS — EPIPHANY. 

adore thee, as the Creator and the Governor of 
the world. Thou hast abundantly provided foi 
the wants of thy creatures. Thou hast ordered 
the day and the night to succeed each other ; and 
when thou hast refreshed man with sleep, thou 
again permittest him to pursue his work until 
the evening. We bless thee for thy daily mer- 
cies; and especially that while thy providence 
provides our lot in this life, thou hast been graci- 
ciously pleased to set before us the joys and con- 
solations of the world to come. We glorify thee 
for the gift of Jesus Christ, thy Son, by whose 
gospel life and immortality are brought to light, 
and through which we are instructed in those 
things which concern our salvation. We bless 
thee for the pardon of sin, through faith in the 
Eedeemer ; for the guidance and protection of thy 
providence; and for the consolations and teach- 
ings of thy Spirit. We thank thee for thy writ- 
ten word ; for thy ministry and ordinances ; and 
for all other means of grace which we are per- 
mitted to enjoy. 

Grant, we beseech thee, that we may this day 
pursue, with fidelity and diligence, our alloted 
work ; and that, in the midst of our worldly oc- 
cupations, we may be enabled, by thy help, to 
maintain a spiritual and heavenly mind. Let us 
remember the solemn truth, that in the midst of 
life we are in death ; and let us so live this day, 
that if it should prove our last, it may not be 
spent in vain. Save us from the sins which most 



ADVENT — CHRISTMAS — EPIPHANY. 43 

easily beset us. Leave us not to the natural dis- 
positions of our own hearts, which are corrupt 
and ever inclining us to evil : But put thy Spirit 
within us, and teach us to cultivate every Chris- 
tian temper, and to abound in every good work. 
Strengthen our faith in the glorious promises of 
the gospel ; and fill us with such joy and peace in 
believing, that we may submit with cheerful res- 
ignation to any sacrifice which, in thy holy provi- 
dence, thou shalt require of us. Dispose us to 
bear affliction with a patient and humble spirit : 
Or, if thou shouldst give us prosperity, make us 
ever watchful over ourselves, and teach us mod- 
eration in our enjoyments. Let us impart freely 
to others the good gifts w r hich thou bestowest 
upon us. Inspire us with zeal in the fulfillment 
of our relative duties; with integrity in our deal- 
ings; and the spirit of kindness to all men. Let 
us faithfully examine ourselves ; that so, advanc- 
ing daily in self-knowledge, we may finally pre- 
vail over our several infirmities. Thus may we 
grow in grace, and in all goodness, and in fitness 
and preparation for thy heavenly kingdom. 

We pray for thy blessing on all our friends 
and relations. May they be filled with a know- 
ledge of thy will, in all wisdom and spiritual un- 
derstanding; and may we, and they, be of one 
heart and one mind, loving each other as brethren 
in Christ, and uniting our endeavors to promote 
the glory of God, and the good of mankind. 

[Occasional Prayers, &e.] 



44 ADVENT — CHRISTMAS — EPIPHANY. 

Have mercy on the poor and the afflicted; 
strengthen the weak; succor the tempted; and 
guide the ignorant into the way of knowledge. 
Bless the rising generation ; save them from the 
dangers of this evil world ; sanctify to them the 
events which shall befall them ; make them instru- 
ments in thy hand for the advancement of the 
interests of thy Church on earth, and qualify them 
by thy grace, to become members of thy blessed 
family in heaven. 

We offer these our humble and imperfect pray- 
ers, in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and 
Saviour. Amen. 

Our Father, &c. 

The grace, &c. 



SATURDAY EVENING. 

O God, who hast appointed a day in wdiich 
thou wilt judge the world in righteousness, give 
us grace so to try and judge ourselves, that we be 
not finally condemned at the judgment seat of 
Christ. Dispose us daily to examine- both our 
hearts and lives, by the rule of thy holy law; 
remembering always, that our most secret thoughts 
are open to thee, and that nothing is hidden from 
thy view. Grant us true and sincere repentance 
for whatever sins we have committed against thee, 
either in thought, word, or deed, and for thy dear 
Son's sake, forgive us all our transgressions. 



ADVENT — CHRISTMAS — EPIPHANY. 45 

We confess that we too easily forget the prize of 
our high calling in Christ Jesus. Thou hast sent 
thy Son from heaven to save us. Thou hast in- 
vited us by thy promises, an£ restrained us by 
the admonitions of thy word. Thou hast set 
before us an inheritance incorruptible and unde- 
filed, and that fadeth not away : And thou hast 
warned us of a worm that never dieth, and of a 
fire that is not quenched. Suffer us not to harden 
our hearts against thy invitations and threaten- 
ings. May thy Holy Spirit impress our minds 
with a deep sense of the importance of eternal 
things. May we labor to make our calling and 
election sure. May we be diligent while the day 
of probation remains; knowing that we must 
soon put off these mortal bodies, and that the 
coming of our Lord Jesus Christ is at hand. 

We thank thee for the rest and comforts of thy 
holy sabbaths ; for the gift of thy sacred word ; 
for the ministry and ordinances of thy Church ; 
for the abundant light and knowledge shed abroad 
in our land ; and for every opportunity of becom- 
ing wise unto salvation. Give us grace so to im- 
prove these great benefits, that we may finally 
fall not under thy just condemnation. 

Assist us, this night, to look up to thee with 
pure and humble hearts. Let us commit our- 
selves to thy gracious care and keeping; sensible 
of thy constant presence with us; and earnestly 
desiring to partake both of thy favor here, and 
of those joys which are at thy right hand forever- 



46 ADVENT — CHRISTMAS — EPIPHAS Y. 

more. And let not the cares and anxieties of life, 
nor the lawful pursuits in which we may engage, 
withdraw our meditations from the concerns of a 
better world. 

We pray thee to bestow thy blessing on our 
dear friends and relations ; on our country and 
constituted authorities ; and on all for whom we 
are bound to pray. Pity those who are afflicted, 
and those who shall pass this night in watchful- 
ness or pain. Succor the tempted. Give peace 
to those who are troubled in mind. Be thou a 
Father to the fatherless, and a Grod of consolation 
to those w r ho are desolate and oppressed. And 
give us all grace, that we may abound in charity 
one towards another, and do good unto all men, 
according to our Lord's example and command- 
ment. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 

Pardon the imperfection of these our humble 
supplications ; and grant unto us whatsoever 
things thou knowest to be needful for us, for the 
sake of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour. 
Amen. 

Our Father, &c. 

The grace, &c. 



ADVENT — CHKISTMAS — EPIPHANY. 47 

FOR THE EVENING BEFORE CHRISTMAS. 

Almighty God and heavenly Father, we come 
before thee with fear and trembling. We are sur- 
rounded by the bounties of thy providence. We 
are refreshed and comforted by the visitations of 
thy Spirit. But we feel our unworthiness. We 
are bowed down under a sense of our guilt. Too 
often have we forgotten thy goodness. Too often 
have our hearts been turned away from thee. Too 
often have we walked in the ways of the wicked, 
and neglected thy holy commandments. O God, 
look down upon us in pity, and pardon all our 
offences. For the sake of thy dear Son, whom 
thou hast sent to be a propitiation for our sins, be 
merciful unto us, and forgive us all our transgres- 
sions. We cast ourselves down, in humble de- 
pendence on thy protecting care this night. 
Guard us, we beseech thee, from all evil. Give 
rest to our wearied bodies, and peace and comfort 
to our burdened souls. Prepare our hearts, by 
thy grace, for the solemnities of the ensuing day, 
and for the due commemoration of the wonders 
of redeeming love — the great mystery of godli- 
ness, God manifest in the flesh. Teach us to re- 
member how low we were fallen, when thine In- 
carnate Son, Jesus Christ, came into the world, to 
save us from endless woe. Through his blessed 
mediation, thou hast delivered our souls from 
death, and our eyes from tears, and our feet from 
filling. We will give thanks unto thee, Lord, 



48 ADVENT — CHRISTMAS — EPIPHANY. 

for thou art gracious, and thy mercy endureth 
forever. Thou art our strength and our salva- 
tion. Thy right hand bringeth mighty things to 
pass. The same stone which the builders refused, 
has become the head of the corner. Grant, 
God, that it may never prove to us a stone of 
stumbling and a rock of offence. Grant us grace 
to say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of 
the Lord. Blessed is the day which God hath 
made glorious. Open unto us the gates of right- 
eousness, that we may go into them, and give 
thanks unto the Lord. May we wash our hands 
in innocency, and so may we go to thine altar. 
May we receive the cup of salvation, and pay our 
vows unto thee in the presence of all thy people. 
May we offer the sacrifice of praise and thanks- 
giving in the house of the Lord, and call faithfully 
upon thy name. 

Grant heavenly Father, that the light of the 
blessed gospel may shine upon all nations ; that 
darkness may no longer cover the earth, nor thick 
darkness the people. May the Gentiles come to 
the light, and all the kingdoms of the earth to. 
the knowledge of the truth. Cause all men to 
know thee, from the greatest to the least. Let 
them gather themselves together, and come unto 
thee. Let them fly as a cloud, and as doves to 
their windows. And hasten, O Lord, the fulfill- 
ment of thy promise, that a little one shall become 
a thousand, and a small one a strong nation. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 



ADVENT — CHRISTMAS — EPIPHANY. 49 

We commend to thy mercy and grace, all who 
are near and dear to us. Be thou, God, their 
strength and defence, and everlasting consolation, 
through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with 
thee, Father, and the Holy Ghost, be all honor 
and glory, world without end. Amen. 

Our Father, &c. 

The grace, &c. 



CHRISTMAS BAY-MORNING. 

Glory be to thee, God. We praise thee, we 
bless thee, we worship thee, we glorify thee, we 
give thanks unto thee, for thy great glory, O Lord 
God, heavenly King, God the Father Almighty. 
Accept, we beseech thee, our humble thanks for 
thy manifold and great mercies. We bless thee 
especially for thine unspeakable love, in sending, 
as on this day, thy well-beloved Son, to take our 
nature upon him, and to be made in the likeness 
of sinful flesh, that he might save us from our 
sins. We rejoice that unto us a child is born ; 
that unto us a Son is given. With the multitude 
of the heavenly host, we joyfully" unite in ascrib- 
ing glory to thee in the highest, for peace on earth, 
and good will towards men. We praise thee for 
revealing to us the great mystery of godliness, by 
which mercy and truth have met together, and 
righteousness and peace have embraced each other. 



50 ADVENT — CHRISTMAS — EPIPHANY. 

Help us, God, to employ this day in meditating 
on this great work of redemption, that so we may 
give unto thee the glorj^ due unto thy name, and 
offer unto thee an acceptable worship. 

thou great and glorious Eedeemer, we adore 
thee for thy wonderful condescension, in leaving 
the glory which thou hadst with the Father, be- 
fore the world began. Though thou wast rich, 
yet for our sakes thou clidst become poor, that we, 
through thy poverty, might be made rich. We 
beseech thee by the mystery of thy holy incarna- 
tion and nativity, to deliver us from all iniquity. 
O Son of David, have mercy upon us. Thou, 
who didst come that we might have life, and have 
it more abundantly, be gracious unto us. Thou, 
who wast called Jesus that thou mightest save thy 
people from their sins, save us and help us, we 
humbly beseech thee. Grant that we, being re- 
generate, and made thy children by adoption and 
grace, may daily be renewed by thy Holy Spirit, 
and follow the blessed steps of thy most holy 
life. 

Grant us, O Lord, thy special blessing this day. 
May we pour out our hearts before thee, with 
joy and praise, in the congregation of thy people.. 
And may we, on every return of this season, so 
profit by the holy institutions of the Church in 
which thy good providence hath placed us, that 
when Christ, who is our life, shall appear a second 
time, we may also appear with him in glory. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 



ADVENT — CHRISTMAS — EPIPHANY. 51 

Hear us further, heavenly Father, and grant 
that the glad tidings which we commemorate this 
day, may be made known to all people. Let the 
promised seed of the woman bruise the serpent's 
head. May the root which hath sprung out of 
Jesse send forth branches on the right hand and 
on the left ; and may the natural branches, which 
have been so long broken off, even thy people 
Israel, be again grafted on their own olive tree. 
Have compassion, also, on those who have never 
heard of the coming of our blessed Lord in the 
flesh. In him who hath risen to rule over the 
Grentiles, let the Grentiles trust, and find his rest to 
be glorious. Mercifully with thy favor look upon 
the whole Christian world. May all that name 
the name of Christ depart from iniquity. Espe- 
cially preserve them from turning this sacred sea- 
son into an occasion of revelling and unholy 
mirth. Let them, as Christians, rejoice in Christ 
their Saviour; and let thy grace teach them to 
deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to 
live soberly, righteously, and godty, in this pres- 
ent world. 

We ask for all in the name of Him, in whom 
dwelieth all the fullness of the Godhead. Jesus 
Christ our Lord. Amen. 

Our Father, &c. 

The grace, &c. 



52 ADVENT — CHRISTMAS — EPIPHANY. 

CHRISTMAS DAT-EVENING. 

Almighty and merciful God, who art of purer 
eyes than to behold iniquity, we approach thy 
throne in humble reliance on thy long-suffering 
mercy and goodness. We acknowledge our un- 
worthiness, and hope for acceptance, only through 
the gracious intercession of our Lord and Saviour 
Jesus Christ. Thou declarest thy almighty power, 
chiefly in showing mercy and pity. Thou hast 
not stretched forth the right hand of thy majesty, 
to avenge thee of thine enemies ; but with thine 
own arm thou hast wrought out redemption for us. 
Thou hast not sent thy Son into the world to con- 
demn the world, but that the world, through him, 
might be saved. 

We bless thee for revealing to us this great 
mystery, which was hid from ages and generations, 
but is now made manifest to the sons of men. 
We rejoice that unto us was born, as on this clay, 
a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. Our souls 
do magnify the Lord, and our spirits do rejoice in 
God our Saviour. Blessed be thou, the God of 
Israel, for visiting and redeeming thy people, and 
raising up a mighty salvation for them ; for per- 
forming the promise made unto their fathers, and 
for keeping in remembrance thy holy covenant. 
Praised be thy name for sending forth in the full- 
ness of time, thy only begotten Son, made of a 
woman, made under the law, that we might re- 
ceive the adoption of sons. Glory be unto thee, 



ADVENT — CHEISTMAS — EPIPHANY. 53 

for causing thy loving kindness towards us to 
appear. 

thou, who wast in Christ, reconciling the 
world unto thyself, not imputing their trespasses 
unto them, forgive us all our transgressions. 
Through him, who was made in the likeness of 
sinful flesh, and came to seek and to save that 
which was lost, have mercy upon us. By the mys- 
tery of his holy incarnation and nativity, good Lord 
deliver us. And since thy blessed Son was mani- 
fested, that he might destroy the works of the 
devil, and make us the children of God, and heirs 
of eternal life, grant, we beseech thee, that having 
this hope, we may purify ourselves, even as he is 
'pure; and that, when he shall come again, in 
power and great glory, we may be made like 
unto him in his eternal and glorious kingdom. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 

We pray thee, heavenly Father, that through 
thy tender mercies, the day-spring from on high, 
which hath visited us, may arise and shine upon 
the nations that are sitting in darkness and in the 
shadow of death, to guide their feet into the way 
of peace. Grant that it may be both a light to 
lighten the Gentiles and the glory of thy people 
Israel. Eaise up, we beseech thee, faithful and 
able ministers of the New Testament, to go before 
the face of the Lord, to prepare his ways, to give 
knowledge of salvation to his people, by the re- 
mission of their sins. 

Pour down thy grace and heavenly benediction 



54 ADVENT — CHRISTMAS — EPIPHANY. 

upon all who are called Christians. May the chil- 
dren of Zion be joyful in their King ! And may 
they so truly follow the blessed steps of their Lord 
and Master, that they may be saved by his mercy, 
in the great day of his appearing and glory. Grant 
this, for Jesus Christ's sake, our only Lord and 
Saviour. Amen. 

Our Father, &c. 

Unto God's gracious mercy and protection, we 
commit ourselves, and all who are dear to us. 
The Lord bless us and keep us. The Lord make 
his face to shine upon us, and be gracious unto us. 
The Lord lift up his countenance upon us, and 
give us peace both now and evermore. Amen. 



LAST EVENING OP THE TEAR. 

Almighty and eternal Lord of heaven and earth, 
with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of 
turning, who art the same, yesterday, and to-day, 
and forever, and whose years fail not — from ever- 
lasting to everlasting thou art God. 

Accept, we beseech thee, our sacrifice of praise 
and thanksgiving, for thy goodness and mercy, 
which have followed us all our days. We espe- 
cially bless thee for delivering us from the perils 
and dangers of the year that is now drawing to a 
close. Not by our own strength, nor for our 
righteousness, have we been spared. But because 
thy compassions fail not, and for thy mercy's 



ADVENT — CHRISTMAS — EPIPHANY. 55 

sake, we have not been consumed. Our sins are 
all naked and open unto thee, from our youth up 
until now. We humble ourselves before thee, 
confessing and bewailing all that 'we have done 
amiss. Enter not into judgment with us: but 
spare us, according to thy great goodness. Accor- 
ding to the multitude of thy tender mercies, blot 
out our offences. Pardon and accept us, for the 
sake of thy only begotten Son, whom thou didst 
send into the world, to take our nature upon him, 
that he might redeem us unto thee by his blood. 
Turn us from our iniquities ; wash us thoroughly 
from our wickedness ; and cleanse us from our 
sins ; and let them all be buried with the closing 
year, to rise up against us no more forever. 

Keep us mindful, Lord, as the years of our 
life pass away, that the end of all things is at 
hand ; and make us sober and watchful unto 
prayer. May we never forget that we are strangers 
and pilgrims upon earth, and that here we have 
no continuing city ; and may we learn diligently 
to seek one to come. Our years pass away like a 
shadow, or a vapor, which appeareth for a little 
time, and then vanisheth away. Lord, teach us 
so to number our days, that we may apply our 
hearts unto wisdom. Make us to know our end, 
and the measure of our days, that we may con- 
sider how frail we are, and maybe admonished to 
redeem the time that remains. Give us grace to 
watch and pray, since Ave know neither the day, 
nor the hour when the Son of man cometh. May 



56 ADVENT — CHRISTMAS — EPIPHANY. 

we be always ready, with our loins girt about, 
and our lights burning: that whensoever he may 
say, Behold, I come quickly, we may be able to 
reply, Even so, come Lord Jesus. Above all, we 
beseech thee to preserve in our minds, a lively 
remembrance, that it is appointed unto us once to 
die, and after death the judgment; and that we 
shall, every one, receive the things done in the 
body, according to that we have done, whether it 
be good or whether it be evil. May we so regard 
thy threatenings and promises, that when we die, 
we may die the death of the righteous, and our last 
end be like his. Help us to fight the good fight, 
to finish our course, and to keep the faith, that 
there may be laid up for us a crown of righteous- 
ness, which thou, the righteous andmercifulJudge, 
will give unto us in that day. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 

Hear our intercession, O Lord, for all who are 
partakers of the same frail nature with ourselves. 
Take the little children into the arms of thy 
mercy, and bless and preserve them. Look in 
tender compassion upon those who are in the 
morning of their years. May they remember 
their Creator in the days of their youth, before 
the evil days come and the years draw nigh, of 
which they shall say, there is no pleasure in them. 
May they seek thee early, and become, in name 
and in truth, thy sons and daughters. May they 
grow in wisdom, as they grow in years, and in 
favor with thee and man. Mercifully regard, 



ADVENT — CHRISTMAS — EPIPHANY. 57 

also, such as are in the strength and vigor of life; 
and dispose them to give unto thee the best of 
their days. Lastly, we pray thee to remember 
those whose strength is now but labor and sorrow. 
Enable them to bring forth fruit in their old age, 
according to the ability which yet remains. May 
they come to their graves at last, as a shock of 
corn cometh in his season. When their flesh and 
their heart fail them, be thou the strength of their 
heart, and their portion forever. Grant all this, 
for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

Our Father, &c. 

Unto God's gracious mercy and protection, we 
commit ourselves, and all for whom we are bound 
to pray. The Lord bless us and keep us. The 
Lord make his face to shine upon us, and be gra- 
cious unto us. The Lord lift up his countenance 
upon us, and give us peace, both now and ever- 
more. Amen. 



FIRST MORNING OF THE YEAR. 

Almighty and everlasting God, who livest and 
abidest forever — with whom one clay is as a 
thousand, and a thousand years as one day — who 
wast, and who art, and who art to come — thou 
hast made our days as it were a span long: 
Our age is as nothing in respect of thee: and 
verily every man living is altogether vanity. Sin 
ha\ ing entered into the world, and death by sin. 



58 ADVENT — CHRISTMAS — EPIPHANY. 

we consume away in thy displeasure ; and are 
afraid at thy wrathful indignation. Thou hast set 
our misdeeds before thee, and our secret sins in 
the light of thy countenance. When thou art 
angry, all our clays are gone ; we bring our years to 
an end, as it were a tale that is told. But we bless 
thee, Lord, for thy continued goodness and for- 
bearance. We bless thee, that though in Adam 
all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 
We praise thee for the gift of him, who was mani- 
fest in the flesh, that he might destroy death ; and 
hath brought life and immortality to light by the 
gospel; in Avhom whosoever believeth shall live, 
though he die ; and whosoever liveth and be- 
lieveth in him shall not die eternally. We give 
thee thanks, also, heavenly Father, for sparing us 
from year to year, and for giving us further space 
for trial and amendment. And we beseech thee 
still to spare us, Lord most holy, O God most 
mighty ; and, at last, to deliver us from the bitter 
pains of eternal death. 

May thy great goodness lead us to repentance. 
With this new year, may we begin a new life, and 
engage in our Christian course with fresh ardor. 
Quicken us in the way of righteousness, and en- 
able us to present ourselves a living sacrifice, holy, 
acceptable unto thee, which is our reasonable ser- 
vice. And, as on this daj T , thou didst make thy 
blessed Son to be circumcised, and obedient to 
the law for man, we beseech thee to grant unto us 
the true circumcision of the spirit; that our hearts 



ADVENT — CHRISTMAS — EPIPHANY. 59 

and all our members being mortified from all 
worldly and carnal lusts, we may in all things 
obey thy blessed will. 

O Lord, let us never forget the solemn and 
affecting truth, that this year may be our last. 
May we not boast ourselves even of to-morrow ; 
for we know not what a day may bring forth, and 
there may be but a step between us and death. 
Enable us to work while it is called to-day, before 
the night cometh, when no man can work. 
Whatever good our hand findeth to do, may we 
do it with all our might ; for there is no work, 
nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the 
grave, whither we are going. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 

Grant thy blessing, heavenly Father, to our fel- 
low-creatures, and especially our friends and rela- 
tives, according to their several necessities. Be 
merciful to those who have lived ail the years of 
their life in carelessness and sin. Give them 
grace to think on their ways, and to turn their 
feet unto thy testimonies, before the things that 
belong to their peace be forever hidden from their 
eyes. Turn the hearts of those who have set 
their affections on this world, and are minding 
only earthly things. Touch the minds of all who 
are putting off their repentance from year to 
year, with the awful thought that hereafter they 
may find no place for repentance, though they 
may seek it carefully, and with tears. Cause 
them to see, that now is the accepted time, that 



60 ADVENT — CHRISTMAS — EPIPHANY. 

now is the day of salvation. Look in pity upon 
those who, having once escaped the pollution of 
the world, are again entangled therein and over- 
come. Burst their chains of bondage, and bring 
them into the perfect liberty of thy children. Be 
gracious unto all who have chosen that good part, 
which none can take from them. May they go on 
from strength to strength, till every one appear 
before thee in Zion. Finally, we beseech thee to 
look with special favor upon those, the days of 
whose pilgrimage are drawing to a close, and the 
time of whose departure is at hand. Even in 
their old age be thou with them; and in their 
hoary hairs do thou support them. And, when 
thou hast guided them here by thy counsel, re- 
ceive them hereafter to the kingdom of thy glory, 
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

Our Father, &c. 

The grace, &c. 



EPIPHANY-MORNING. 

[To be used with the other prayers, in the morning of the Feast of Epiph- 
any, the 6th of January, whether it falls on Sunday or any other day.] 

God, who by the leading of a star, didst 
manifest thy only begotten Son to the Gentiles ; 
mercifully grant that we, who know thee now 
by faith, may after this life have the fruition of 
thy glorious Godhead, through Jesus Christ 
our Lord. Amen. 






SUNDAY MORNING. 



Our Father, &c. 

Almighty and most merciful God, the Creator 
and Preserver of all mankind, who hast brought 
us in safety to the beginning of this holy day, give 
us grace, we beseech thee, to appear before thy 
Divine Majesty, humbled under a sense of our 
unworthiness, and looking up to thee for mercy 
and forgiveness. Have compassion on our infirm- 
ity and ignorance, and teach us, by thy good 
Spirit, how to pray. 

May we, as a household, enter into thy presence 
with fear and trembling. We acknowledge all 
our transgressions, and our sins are ever before us. 
Endue us, heavenly Father, with the graces of thy 
Holy Spirit, that we may amend our lives accord 
ing to thy Holy Word, and do all things hereafter 
to thine acceptance. As our blessed Saviour, who 
died for our sins, did, as on this day, rise again 
from the dead, so may we be raised by thy power, 
to newness of spirit, and daity advance in all vir- 
tue and godliness of life. 

O, thou Lord of the Sabbath, who hast been 




62 SEPTUAGESIMA, ETC. 

pleased, for thine own glory, and for the benefit 
of thy creatures, to set apart one day out of seven, 
to be kept holy to thyself, give us grace, that we 
may sanctify thy appointment, to the honor of thy 
holy name, and the good of our own souls. 

thou, who reignest in heaven and over all 
thy works, behold with compassion thy sinful 
creatures, dwelling on earth. And grant that we 
may worship thee this day with due reverence and 
submission, both in body and spirit ; and, fulfill, 
we pray thee, thy gracious promise, that where 
two or three are gathered together in thy name, 
there wilt thou be in the midst of them. 

Guard us against the sins and temptations which 
may beset us in thy house of prayer, and especially 
against all irreverence and indifference. Give us 
grace to be engaged in the services of thy Church, 
that they may be acceptable unto thee, and profit- 
able to our own souls. Bless the instructions 
which may this day be given in the name of 
Christ ; that it may fall upon serious and devoted 
hearts, to the edification and improvement of thy 
people. Incline us to hear thy word with atten- 
tion, and to receive it with meekness and gladness 
of heart. Dispose and prepare our souls to receive 
the full benefit of thy holy ordinances. Grant 
that the fruits of our religious exercises this day 
may be seen in our Christian conduct during the 
remainder of the week ; and, may each succeeding 
Lord's day find us advancing in the great work of 
our salvation, and better prepared for that eternal 



SEPTUAGESIMA, ETC. 63 

rest which remains for the faithful servants of thy 
blessed Son. 

O Lord God, who art the Father of all mankind, 
receive, we beseech thee, our supplications for the 
universal Church of Christ. Pour out thy Spirit 
upon its bishops, priests, and deacons, and all its 
members; and, finally, bring into its bosom all 
those, throughout the world, on whom the light 
of the gospel has not yet shone. And, may all 
who have received the word of salvation, contri- 
bute, in their several stations, to the promotion of 
thy glory, and the extension of the kingdom of 
thy dear Son to the ends of the earth, by a life of 
holiness, and unity, and godly love. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 

Accept, we beseech thee, O heavenly Father, 
this imperfect expression of our wants and desires ; 
and, grant unto thy servants whatever is most 
expedient for them, for the sake of Jesus Christ, 
our only Mediator and Advocate. Amen. 

The grace, &c. 



SUNDAY EVENING. 



Our Father, &c. 

Almighty God, and heavenly Father, by whose . 
merciful providence we are brought to the evening 
of this holy day, we meet together to acknowledge 
thy goodness, and to ask for the continuance of 



64 SEPTUAGESIMA, ETC. 

thy guardianship and protection. Make us, we 
beseech thee, more sensible of thy mercies, and of 
our own un worthiness ; and, teach us duly to value 
and improve the privilege of drawing near to thee 
in prayer, through faith in thy blessed Son. 

We bless thee for all our opportunities of" serv- 
ing thee, and for all the means of grace which thou 
hast bestowed upon us ; that thou hast revealed 
thyself to us in the Gospel of Jesus Christ ; that 
we have been admitted into his holy Church, by 
baptism ; and, that our lot has been cast in a land 
where the true light shineth. Give us grace, we 
beseech thee, to use these blessings to our own 
good and thy glory. 

We thank thee, most merciful Lord, that thou 
hast permitted us this day to appear before thee 
with the offering of prayer and praise. Grant that 
we may not have gone to thine house in vain. Par- 
don all the imperfections of our acts of worship ; 
our coldness of heart ; our wandering thoughts ; 
our want of faith. Give us, for the time to come, 
an unwearied spirit of devotion, and a heart to 
love and fear thee. Help us to grow in grace, and 
in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus 
Christ. 

As thou hast graciously promised to hear the 
petitions of all those who ask in thy son's name, 
grant that the things which we have this day 
asked faithfully, may be obtained effectually, to 
the relief of our necessities, and to the setting forth 
of thy glory. 



SEPTUAGESIMA, ETC. 65 

Most merciful God, we beseech thee, accept the 
praises, and return a gracious answer to the prayers 
of thy Church, which have been offered up to thee 
this day. Grant to us, and to all thy people, that 
the lessons of instruction which we have heard, 
may be carefully remembered, and diligently fol- 
lowed. Let the good seed of thy word take deep 
root in our hearts, and bring forth much fruit, to 
the glory of thy holy name. 

May every holy thought, and every devout 
desire, implanted in our hearts by thy blessed 
spirit, be brought to good effect. Let the solemn 
ordinances of the gospel be made, by thy blessing, 
the means of increasing amongst us true religion 
and virtue. Grant to all those who attend thee in 
godly sincerity, a growth in grace and good living ; 
and, that those who neglect them may be brought 
to true repentance, and an obedient heart. 

Continue to us, and to thy universal Church, the 
means of grace and salvation ; that thy way may 
be known upon earth, and thy saving health to all 
nations. 

[Occasional Prayers.] 

We desire now to commend ourselves, and all 
for whom we are in duty bound to pray, to the 
care and protection of thy good Providence. De- 
fend us from all the perils and dangers of this 
night; and, if it please thee to bring us to the 
beginning of another day, give us grace to improve 
it faithfully to thy service, through Jesus Christ, 

our Lord. Amen. The grace, &c, 
6* 



SEPTUAGESIJVIA, ETC. 



MONDAY MORNING. 



Our Father, &c. 

God, by whom the whole world is governed 
and preserved, we, thine unworthy creatures, 
under a thankful sense of thy providential care, 
draw nigh unto thee to offer our morning sacrifice 
of prayer and praise. 

Thou, Lord, art about our path, and about our 
bed, and spiest out all our ways. There is noth- 
ing hid from thee ; not a thought or intent of our 
heart but thou knowest it altogether. If thine 
'all-seeing eye beholdeth aught in us to offend thee, 
enable us by thy grace to discover and cast it out, 
that we may come before thee with the preparation 
of a clean heart, and a pure mind. 

We thank thee for thy protection and preserva- 
tion during the past night. Continue thy good- 
ness to us through this day, and guard us from all 
danger, both of body and soul. Suffer us not to 
forget the instructive lessons taught us on thy day 
of sacred rest ; but, dispose us to manifest, in all 
our doings of this day, and during the week, the 
blessed effects of thy word and means of grace. 

We thank thee, heavenly Father, for the 
time and opportunity which thou hast given us to 
serve thee ; and, we acknowledge that we have 
most ungratefully wasted and misused these thy 
precious gifts. May we repent of this our wicked- 
ness, and hereafter remember that every moment 
is given to be used in thy service, and in doing 



SEPTUAGESIMA, ETC. 67 

the work of our salvation. O may we have time 
and grace to finish our appointed task, before the 
night cometh, in which no man can work. 

We acknowledge thy numberless mercies to us, 
and to all mankind. Make us duly thankful for 
every blessing ; and teach us to shew forth thy 
praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by 
giving ourselves up to thy service, and by walk- 
ing before thee in holiness and righteousness all 
our days. Enable us to resist the temptations of 
the world, the flesh, and the devil ; and, dispose 
us to follow, in all things, the motions of thy good 
spirit ; not trusting in our own strength or wisdom, 
but looking to thee alone for grace to establish us 
in every good word and work. 

Increase in us true religion ; nourish us with all 
goodness, and of thy great mercy keep us in the 
same; that we may continue thine forever, and 
daily increase in thy Holy Spirit more and more, 
till we come to thine everlasting kingdom. 

Be pleased, Lord, to receive our humble 
intercession for all orders and degrees of man ; for 
the President of the United States, and all others 
in authority, that they may be thy ministers to us 
for good ; for the appointed teachers of thy word, 
and pastors of thy flock ; and, for all the members 
of thy Church. Grant that they may all faithfully 
serve thee in their several stations, and adorn the 
doctrine of God their Saviour in all things. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 

We beseech thee to have mercy upon all who 



68 SEPTUAGESIMA, ETC. 

have not j~et known thee. Turn them, Lord, 
to the way of life ; take from them all ignorance, 
hardness of heart, and contempt of thy word; 
and, save them, together with all thy faithful 
people, through Jesus Christ, our only Mediator 
and Redeemer. Amen, 
The grace, &c. 



MONDAY EVENING. 

Our Father, &c. 

O Lord God Almighty, who rulest in heaven 
above, and in the earth beneath, thou art worthy 
to be praised with all pure and holy worship. But 
how can Ave appear before thee ? How can thy 
sinful creatures offer thee an acceptable service ? 
What is man, that thou art mindful of him, or the 
son of man, that thou visitest him ? 

O God, our Maker, Preserver, and Guide, it is 
not in man that walketh, to direct his steps. We 
are not able of ourselves to think any thing as of 
ourselves ; but, our sufficiency is of thee. 

We do not presume to call upon thee, Lord, 
trusting in our own righteousness, but in thy 
manifold and great mercies in Christ Jesus. We 
are not worthy so much as to lift up our hands 
unto thee ; but, thy property is always to have 
mercy ; and, thou hast graciously promised to hear 
those who ask in thy Son's name. For his sake, 



SEPTUAGESIMA, ETC. 69 

therefore, be pleased to listen to the prayers of thy 
unworthy servants. 

Pardon, we beseech thee, the sins of which we 
have this day been guilty ; consider the weakness 
of our nature ; and, for thy dear Son's sake, be 
not extreme to mark what is done amiss. We 
magnify thy goodness, which has so long spared 
us, and granted us so much time for repentance ; 
and, we beseech thee to give us grace, that we 
may henceforth no more receive thy mercies in 
vain. Be gracious, O Lord, even to the unthank- 
ful and the evil ; and, although we can never 
deserve thy favors, yet we beseech thee to teach 
us to value and improve them as we ought. 

Enable us, this night, to shake off all worldly 
cares and desires, and to meditate upon thee 
and thy works. Let thy Holy Spirit be pres- 
ent with us, to purify our hearts, to bring 
before us the things which concern our peace, and 
to inspire us with godly desires and resolutions. 

Above all things, make us rightly to understand 
thine infinite mercy, in the redemption of man- 
kind by the sacrifice and atonement of our Lord 
Jesus Christ, and diligently to avail ourselves of 
all our privileges, as his disciples, and thy children 
by adoption and grace. 

Look down, we beseech thee, with compassion, 
upon all thy afflicted servants ; grant them the 
comforts of thy Holy Spirit; and, in thine own 
good time, visit and relieve them. 

Establish thy kingdom in the hearts of men ; 



70 SEPTUAGESIMA, ETC. 

make the gospel successful to the present holiness 
and eternal welfare of us all ; and, more especially, 
we beg thine abundant blessing upon the holy 
Apostolic Church, to whose privileges it has 
pleased thee to grant us admittance. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 

heavenly Father, w r e commit ourselves to thy 
holy care and keeping this night ; and, we desire 
to rest securely under the protection of thine 
almighty arm. Defend us from all perils and dan- 
gers, and especially from those which may assault 
and hurt the soul. Prepare us, by quiet and com- 
fortable repose, for the duties of the morrow ; and, 
grant that we may arise disposed and strengthened 
for thy service, as faithful and diligent disciples of 
thy blessed Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

The grace, &c. 



TUESDAY MORNING. 



Our Father, &c. 

O God, the King eternal and invisible, maker 
of the world and all that is therein, worthy art 
thou to receive glory, and honor, and power ; for, 
thou hast created all things, and, for thy pleasure, 
they are and were created. In thy hand is our 
life ; and thine are all our ways : we are thine by 
creation and redemption ; not our own, but bought 
with a price, and joined to thee in an everlasting 



SEPTUAGESIMA, ETC. 71 

covenant. Thy mercies fail not, but are new every 
morning. We are not worthy of the least of them 
all ; but, thou hast commanded us to draw nigh 
unto thee in prayer, and our desire is unto thy 
name. 

Accept, we beseech thee, our morning sacrifice 
of prayer and praise ; and let the lifting up of our 
hands, and the words of our mouth, be pleasing 
in thy sight, for Jesus Christ's sake. 

We praise thee for thy goodness, in having 
brought us safely to the beginning of another d^y ; 
for thy preservation of -us during our past lives; 
for all the mercies which thou hast bestowed upon 
us, notwithstanding our repeated transgressions ; 
but, especially for Jesus Christ our Saviour, and 
in Him for all our means of grace and hopes of 
glory. 

In the midst of all thy goodness, we acknowledge 
our unworthiness. We have sinned with our 
fathers, and done wickedly. But, Lord, absolve 
us from our offences; pardon the sinfulness of 
our corrupt nature, and the transgressions which, 
by our frailty, we have committed ; and, deliver 
us from the bonds of sin, that iniquity may not 
be our ruin. 

Give us grace, that, amidst all our worldly cares 
and occupations, we may never forget our duty to 
thee, but always remember that we are walking in 
thy sight. 

Enable us to subdue all unholy desires, so that, 
denying all ungodliness and worldly lusts, wo may 



72 SEPTUAGE&IMA, ETC. 

live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present 
world. 

Preserve us from idleness and negligence, in all 
the concerns both of the body and the soul ; that 
we may not be slothful in business, but fervent in 
spirit, serving the Lord. 

Dispose us to regard one another with brotherly 
affection and good will ; and, enable us to do our 
duty in that state of life to which thou hast called 
us, not with eye-service, as men-pleasers, but in 
singleness of heart, fearing thee. 

Be pleased, Lord, to comfort and succor the 
poor, the sick, and the afflicted. Send them help 
in their time of need ; and, dispose us to do good 
unto all men, as we have opportunity, under a 
thankful sense of thy mercies in Jesus Christ. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 

Bless our civil rulers and magistrates ; and dis- 
pose them to act as thy ministers for the good of 
mankind ; and, incline us to honor and obey them 
for thy sake. Spread the knowledge of thy word, 
and make thy Holy Church the instrument of 
extending thy gospel throughout the world. Pre- 
serve us, and all thy people, in the unity of the 
faith, in the bond of peace, and in righteousness 
of life; and, finally, bring us to thy kingdom in 
heaven, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

The grace, &c, 



SEPTUAGUESIMA, ETC. 73 



TUESDAY EVENING. 



Our Father, &c. 

Almighty God, the Father of our Lord Jesus 
Christ, who art always more ready to hear than 
we to pray, and givest more than either we desire 
or deserve, we, thine unworthy servants, again 
draw nigh unto thee, with all humility and thank- 
fulness of heart. 

Lord God of our Salvation, great and precious 
are thy mercies and blessings. Thou loadest us 
daily with thy benefits; and, we thankfully 
acknowledge thy great goodness, in adding this 
day to the number of thy mercies, by preserving 
our lives, continuing our comforts, and giving us 
further time for repentance. gracious Lord, we 
humbly confess that our hearts are still far from 
thee ; that we do not sufficiently trust in thee, nor 
apply ourselves with due diligence to thy service. 
Give us a lively sense of our unfaithfulness, and 
renew a right spirit within us. In thy abundant 
mercy, turn our hearts unto thee, through our 
blessed Saviour, Jesus Christ. 

We confess that we have this day left undone 
those things which we ought to have done, and 
have done those things which we ought not to 
have done, and there is no health in us. Give us 
true repentance for all our misdoings, and a lively 
faith in the atoning sacrifice of thy dear Soil. Take 
from us all ignorance, hardness of heart, and con- 
tempt of thy word. Make us a household fearing 



74 SEPTUAGESIMA, ETC. 

thee; submitting ourselves to thy holy will and 
pleasure, putting our whole trust in thy mercy, 
and studying to please thee in holiness and right- 
eousness, all the days of our life. 

Be thou our protection this night, that no evil 
may befall us, nor any plague come nigh our 
dwelling. To thy blessing we commend ourselves, 
and all who are near and dear to us, and all for 
whom we ought to pray. Keep us in peace and 
safety ; grant that we may go to our rest in charity 
with all men, and come to the beginning of another 
day, with health and ability to pursue our several 
duties to thee and to our fellow-men. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 

And, whenever thou shalt be pleased to end our 
term of days, and to call us out of this mortal 
state, grant that our peace may be made with thee, 
through our Lord Jesus Christ ; and, at the last 
day, raise us up from the sleep of death to the 
resurrection of eternal life, through Him who died 
and rose again for us, the same Jesus Christ our 
Lord. Amen, 

The grace, &c. 



WEDNESDAY MOENING. 



Our Father, &c. 

God, thou art our God ; early will we seek 
thee. Thou art good and gracious to all thy 



SEPTUAGESIMA, ETC. 75 

people; and thy mercy is over all thy works. 
Thou madest us, and not we ourselves. We are 
thy people, and the sheep of thy pasture. "We 
therefore worship and fall down and kneel before 
the Lord our Maker. Unworthy as we are to 
offer thee any sacrifice, thou hast appointed unto 
us a Great High Priest, in whose name we come 
boldly to thy throne, that we may find mercy, 
and grace, to help us in time of need. 

Grant that the frequency and earnestness of our 
prayers may be proportioned to the greatness of our 
wants. May we rejoice in every opportunity of 
worshiping thy Divine Majesty ; and may we be 
preserved from the sin of drawing near to thee 
with our lips, while our hearts are far from thee. 

We humbly thank thee, Lord, that thou hast 
preserved us during the night past, and renewest 
unto us thy goodness this morning. Take us 
again under thy guidance and protection this day ; 
and so govern us by thy grace, that we may 
neither think, nor speak, nor do any thing which 
may displease thee, or wound our own souls. 
Assist us to sincerely and heartily dedicate our- 
selves, our souls and bodies, to thy service. Pre- 
serve us from every evil passion ; from the temp- 
tations incident to our respective callings; and 
from the lusts of the flesh, and the vanities of a 
wicked world. 

Send thy good Spirit to direct and guide us in 
the ways and works of godliness. Purify our affec- 
tions ; enliven our devotion ; and teach us how to 



76 SEPTUAGESIMA, ETC. 

pray, and how to hear, and read, and profit 
by thy holy word. Make us Christians, not in 
name only, but in heart and in hope. Teach us 
the value of our souls, and of the salvation wrought 
out for them by thy Son Jesus Christ, our Lord. 
May we never be ashamed to confess him before 
men ; but amidst all discouragements and difficul- 
ties, give us boldness to stand forth as his true 
disciples. 

Let our conversation be such as becometh his 
gospel ; and whatsoever we do in word or in deed, 
let us do all in his name, giving thanks to God 
and the Father, through him. And let the words 
of our mouth and the meditations of our heart, 
be acceptable in thy sight, Lord, our strength 
and our Eedeemer. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 

Give us grace, we beseech thee, that we may 
be just and honest in all our dealings ; kind and 
charitable towards all men ; sober, temperate, and 
chaste; and more particularly, careful of the 
duties which we owe to one another, as members 
of a Christian family ; that having, by thy grace, 
been kept this day without willful sin, we may, at 
the close of it, lie down to rest, with the assurance 
of a good conscience towards God, and with a 
sure trust in the merits of our Lord and Saviour 
Jesus Christ. Amen. 

The grace, &c. 



SEPTUAGKESIMA, ETC. 77 

WEDNESDAY EVENING. 

Our Father, &c. 

O most holy and merciful God, the fountain 
of all goodness, wisdom, and strength ; look down, 
we beseech thee, from heaven, thy dwelling, and 
hearken to the prayers and praises of thy unwor- 
thy servants. 

We confess, that notwithstanding thy gracious 
dealings towards us, we have neither loved thee, 
served thee, nor obeyed thee as we ought to have 
done. We have been too much taken up with 
the cares and concerns of this life, and too negli- 
gent of the great work of our salvation. gra- 
cious Lord, have compassion on our infirmities ; 
and, for thy dear Son's sake, turn from us all those 
evils that we have most justly deserved. Grant 
that neither the sins of this day, nor any of the 
transgressions of our past life, may be remembered 
against us. But, look upon us as reconciled unto 
thee through the mediation of Jesus Christ our 
Lord ; and, grant unto us thy Holy Spirit, that, 
for the time to come, we may walk before thee as 
becometh the redeemed of the Lord. 

Let not sin reign in our mortal bodies, nor vain 
desires take possession of our hearts. Convince 
us of the shortness and uncertainty of this life : 
that we may be found among those blessed servants 
who wait for the coming of their Lord. Give as 
grace that we may be more and more sensible of 
the vanity of all worldly objects of desire, and 
7* 



78 SEPTUAGESIMA, ETC. 

more intent upon laying up for ourselves treasures 
in heaven. 

Keceive, we beseech thee, our intercessions for 
all mankind, and especially for our relations, 
friends, and neighbors. Bring them all to the 
knowledge of thy truth and to the practice of thy 
law. Grant unto them all things needful, both for 
their bodies and their souls. 

Be gracious, Lord, to this nation ; root out 
from among us all ungodliness and indifference to 
thy holy commandments, that we may be indeed 
thy people, and thou mayest be our God. Bless 
and protect thy servant, the President of the 
United States, and all others in authority ; and 
give them grace to rule in thy fear, and in obedi- 
ence to thy law. 

Pity the afflicted and distressed in mind, body, 
and estate ; and, mercifully relieve them, as may 
be most conducive to thy glory, and to their eter- 
nal good. 

To these, our praj^ers and intercessions, we de- 
sire to add our unfeigned thanks for all the bene- 
fits which thou hast bestowed upon us ; for all the 
blessings which we have enjoyed from our youth 
up until now; particularly for the mercies and 
comforts of the past day ; but, above all, for our 
redemption by our Lord Jesus Christ. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 

Be pleased to continue thy protection to us 
through this night. Eefresh our bodies with quiet 
sleep, and our souls with the consolations of thy 
Holy Spirit; and, fit and prepare us, at last, for 



SEPTUAGESIMA, ETC. 79 

our everlasting rest and peace, through Jesus 
Christ our Lord. Amen, 
The grace, &c. 



THURSDAY MORNING. 

Our Father, &c. 

Almighty God, Maker of all things, Father of 
all mankind, receive, we beseech thee, our morn- 
ing tribute of prayer and praise. We are thine ; 
and we are bound to honor and serve thee, as the 
creatures of thy hand, and as the disciples of thy 
blessed Son. 

We acknowledge that, by thee alone, we have 
been preserved unto this day ; and that, through 
thy mercy alone, we are permitted to come before 
thee, to magnify and praise thy holy name. 

We bless thee for the returning light ; and, we 
beseech thee to shed upon us abundantly of thy 
Holy Spirit, that our hearts may be cleansed from 
every defilement, and better prepared and disposed 
for thy service. 

We confess that we have sinned against thee, 
and done evil in thy sight ; neither have we obeyed 
thy law with a perfect heart. Lord, who know- 
est the weakness of our nature, have compassion 
upon our infirmities, and forgive us all our sins, 
for Jesus Christ's sake. 

Lift up the light of thy countenance upon us; 



80 SEPTUAGESIMA, ETC. 

speak peace unto us thy servants, that we turn not 
again unto folly ; but, send us thy grace, to pre- 
serve us from the power of sin. 

Enable us this clay to fulfill the duties of our 
respective callings with faithfulness and diligence ; 
that, when we again meet together to worship thee, 
our consciences may not reproach us with willful 
disobedience or neglect of thy commandments. 

Grant that we may have power to pursue with 
fidelity our Christian course; that we may be 
more able to resist temptation, more mindful of 
thy presence, and more desirous of thy grace. To 
this end, open thou our eyes, that we may see the 
wondrous things of thy law ; give us understand- 
ing, that we may know thy testimonies ; and, write 
the words of thy gospel in our hearts. 

Bless all our honest endeavors ; make us content 
with what thy providence shall order for us ; and, 
grant that no worldly business or pleasures may 
divert us from the thoughts of the life to come. 

Make us duly thankful for all thy mercies, and 
mindful of the wants of others; tender hearted 
and compassionate ; forgiving others, even as thou, 
Lord, for Christ's sake, hast promised to forgive 
us. 

May it please thee to forgive our enemies, per- 
secutors, and slanderers, and to turn their hearts. 
Be merciful to all men. Convert the sinful, 
strengthen the weak-hearted, raise up those who 
fall, and, finally beat down Satan under our feet. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 



SEPTUAGESIMA, ETC. 81 

We humbly thank thee, heavenly Father, for 
the continuance of thy mercies ; for all the good 
gifts which thou hast bestowed upon us ; for our 
life, our reason, our worldly substance, and our 
means and opportunities of grace. 

But above all, we praise thee for the redemption 
wrought out for us, through the mediation of thy 
blessed Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen. 

The grace, &c. 



THURSDAY EVENING. 

Our Father, &c. 

Almighty and everlasting Grod, who art ex- 
alted far above all blessing and praise, and yet 
humblest thyself to hear the prayers of thine un- 
worthy servants, be present, we beseech thee, with 
us, who are now assembled together in thy name. 

As another day is taken from the sum of our 
lives, gives us grace to remember that we are 
drawing so much nearer to the end ; and fill us 
with true repentance for all the sins and infirm- 
ities of our past lives. Grant that the opportuni- 
ties which may yet remain to us, may be improved 
to the purposes of our Christian calling ; and make 
lis, we beseech thee, day by day, more serious, 
diligent and devout. 

By all the dispensations of thy providence, 
whether of good or evil, bring us nearer to thy- 



82 SEPTUAGESIMA, ETC. 

self; and make us, in heart and affection, as we 
are by name and profession, the servants and 
followers of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Quicken us in the pursuit of heavenly things, 
and make us faithful in the discharge of every 
appointed duty; serving thee with sincerity of 
heart, and doing to all men as we would they 
should do unto us. Subdue in us, by the power 
of thy grace, every evil affection ; and make our 
conversation to be such as becometh the people 
of God. 

Direct, sanctify, and govern, both our hearts 
and our bodies in the ways of thy laws, and in the 
works of thy commandments. Let neither the 
pleasures nor the cares, nor the fear or favor of 
the world, make us forgetful of the very least of 
thy holy precepts ; but increase in us, more and 
more, all the Christian virtues and graces. 

Receive our humble praj^ers for all conditions 
of men. Grant that all those who confess thy 
holy name, may agree in the truth of thy holy 
word, and live in unity and godly love. And 
keep, Ave beseech thee, thy Church and household 
continually in thy true religion ; that they who do 
lean only upon the hope of thy heavenly grace, 
may evermore be defended by thy mighty power ; 
and may the beams of thy blessed gospel, be effec- 
tual in enlightening those who are in darkness, 
and converting those who are in sin. Endue all 
orders and degrees of men, with those virtues, 



SEPTUAGESIMA, ETC. 83 

which may most conduce to thy honor and glory, 
and the good of thy Church and people. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 

We commend to thy fatherly goodness all our 
relations and friends; beseeching thee to take 
them and us into thy holy keeping this night, and 
to prepare us, both in soul and body, to serve thee 
faithfully another day. 

Hear us, Lord, and grant that we may go to 
rest this night, in charity with all men, and at 
peace with thee, for the sake of thy dear Son, 
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

The grace, &c. 



FRIDAY MORNING. 



Our Father, &c. 

Almighty God, who formed the spirit of man 
within him, and fittest him to serve and worship 
thee ; we are thy servants and children, the work 
of thy hand. Our praise shall be continually of 
thee, who hast holclen us up ever since we were 
born. 

We acknowledge that we are not worthy to lift 
up our hands unto thee. We have sinned and 
done amiss. Our transgressions are more in 
number than the hairs of our head. They are a 
heavy burden upon our souls. We have sinned 
against li^ht and knowledge ; against mercies and 



84 SEPTUAGESIMA, ETC. 

warnings ; against providences and opportunities 
for doing good. "We desire not to justify our- 
selves, but to confess before thee that we are un- 
clean. Lord, enter not into judgment with thy 
servants; but spare thy people whom thou hast 
redeemed. For the glory of thy name, and for 
the sake of thy blessed Son, deliver us, and be 
merciful unto us. Cast us not away from thy 
presence ; and take not thy Holy Spirit from us. 
But remember us, for the merits of our blessed 
Saviour, with the favor thou bearest unto thy 
people, and visit us with thy salvation. 

O thou, without whose help we can do no good 
thing, give us the comforts of thy grace ; and bear 
us up by the strength of faith, and the power of 
love and hope, above all the temptations of the 
enemy, and keep us unspotted from the world. 

Let thy blessing rest upon us this day ; and 
grant to us severally such a measure of thy grace, 
as may fit us for the duties of our respective sta- 
tions. Make us obedient to our rulers, friendly 
towards our equals, kind and benevolent to the 
poor and needy, and charitable and forgiving to 
those who do us wrong. 

May we take delight in our private and public 
devotions, and in all the ordinances of our reli- 
gion; and may we be prepared, through thy 
grace, for the worthy partaking of the blessed 
sacrament of the body and blood of Christ our 
Saviour. And grant that others may be excited 



SEPTUAGESIMA, ETC. 85 

by our humble example, to glorify thee, our 
heavenly Father. 

Hearken, Lord, to our intercessions for all 
mankind. Have mercy upon those whom ignor- 
ance and unbelief, have drawn away from thy 
testimonies, and bring them home, to thy flock. 
May sinners see the error of their ways, and turn 
unto thee. 

Preserve the Church in unity and peace ; in- 
struct the ministers and stewards of thy word and 
ordinances ; and enable them, both by their 
preaching and living, to show forth the power of 
the Gospel. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 

O Lord, who knowest all our necessities before 
we ask, and our ignorance in asking ; forgive, we 
beseech thee, the imperfections of these our pray- 
ers, and graciously accept them for the sake of 
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

The grace, &c. 



FRIDAY EVENING. 



Our Father, &c. 

O Lord, our Creator and Preserver, hearken 
unto the voice of our calling ; for unto thee do we 
offer our prayers. It is a good thing to give 
thanks unto thee, and to sing praises unto thy 
name, O Most Highest ; to tell of thy loving kind- 



86 SEPTUAGESIMA, ETC. 

ness early in the morning, and of thy truth in the 
night season. 

We come before thee, heavenly Father, with 
all humility of heart, as sinful and unworthy 
creatures. We have all sinned, and come short 
of thy glory. But thou art gracious and long- 
suffering, and hast compassion upon the infirmity 
of thy servants, for thy dear Son's sake. 

Be present with us, we beseech thee, at this 
time, by thy Holy Spirit; and dispose us to seri- 
ous meditation and earnest prayer. Make us 
deeply sensible of our sins, and especially of those 
which we have this day committed ; and so 
quicken our repentance, and strengthen our faith 
in the atoning blood of Christ, that we may be 
cleansed from all sin, and be at peace with thee. 

Awaken us, Lord, from all spiritual insensi- 
bility and indifference, and bring us to a lively 
sense of our lost condition, and of our sole de- 
pendence on our Lord Jesus Christ, for hope and 
salvation. 

Make us always mindful of our frailty, of the 
shortness and uncertainty of this life, of the eter- 
nity of that which is to come, of the unspeakable 
joys of the blessed, and of the dreadful end of the 
impenitent; that we may be of the number of 
those who seek and find the strait gate, that 
leadeth unto life. 

We bless thy holy name for all the mercies 
hitherto bestowed upon us; for our life, our 
health, and our reason ; and for all the faculties 



SEPTUAGESIMA, ETC. 87 

both of our souls and bodies. Grant us grace to 
use them, for our benefit and thy glory. 

We bless thee for thy patient forbearance 
towards us, notwithstanding our sins and ingrati- 
tude; for thy preservation of us from the dangers 
and temptations which beset our way ; for the 
bountiful goodness of thy providence, and for all 
the blessings of this life. But, above all, we adore 
thy tender love and compassion to us, and to all 
mankind, in the redemption of the world, by our 
Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who humbled him- 
self, even to the death upon the cross, for us mis- 
erable sinners, that he might make us thy chil- 
dren, and exalt us unto everlasting life. 

We also bless thee for all the means of grace 
which thou hast given us in thy word and sacra- 
ments, and in the worship and ordinances of thy 
Church. 

Grant that we may so esteem and profit by 
these and all thy mercies, that having been faith- 
ful and diligent servants of our Lord, we may 
finally receive that crown of glory which thou 
hast promised to those who love thee, through 
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 

The grace, &c. 



SEPTUAGESIMA, ETC. 



SATURDAY MORNING. 



Our Father, &c. 

Almighty and most merciful Father, who, for 
the many sins which we have committed against 
thee, mightest justly have cut us off in the midst 
of our days, we humbly thank thee, that in the 
multitude of thy mercies, thou hast hitherto spared 
us. 

Accept, we beseech thee, our unfeigned sorrow 
for our past transgressions ; and grant that we 
may never so presume upon thy mercy, as to de- 
spise the riches of thy goodness. But let a sense 
of thy forbearance and long suffering, work in us 
repentance and amendment of life, to thy honor 
and glory, and to our acceptance in the last day, 
through the merits of our Saviour Jesus Christ. 

Keep alive in us, Lord, a true spirit of devo- 
tion ; and preserve us from the great sin of pray- 
ing to thee with our lips, while our hearts are far 
from thee. Convince us of our entire dependence 
upon thee ; quicken us in the pursuit of eternal 
things; that we may continually press forward 
to obtain the prize of our high calling in Christ 
Jesus. 

Thou Lord, who knowest the dangers which 
beset us in this present world, strengthen us by 
thy power against the enemies of our salvation. 
Hold thou us up, and we shall be safe. 

Dispose us, we beseech thee, rightly to dis- 
charge the duties of this day. Watch over our 



SEPTUAGESIMA, ETC. 89 

paths ; compass us about with thy favor ; preserve 
us in our going out and coming in ; and direct all 
our steps, in the way of thy commandments. 

Make us truly honest and upright in all our 
dealings ; diligent in the works of our calling ; 
blameless in our conversation ; meek, charitable, 
and forgiving towards others ; watchful over our- 
selves, and ever mindful of thy presence. 

Sanctify to us our crosses and afflictions, if in 
thy holy providence, thou shouldst see fit to 
afflict us ; and give us such a measure of patience 
and godly resolution, that we may be willing to 
take up our cross daily, and to follow the Lamb, 
whithersoever he goeth. 

Lord, grant that this family and household 
may abound more and more in love to thee, and in 
devotion to thy service ; that it may be, amongst 
many others, the humble means of keeping alive 
a spirit of piety in this nation, that thou may est 
bless them, and visit them with thy salvation. 

Have mercy upon thy holy Church in all the 
world ; and especially that portion of it, in which 
# thou hast cast our lot. Pour out the graces of 
thy Spirit upon all its members, that they may 
faithfully keep its ordinances, and observe its pre- 
cepts; and grant that it may be finally presented 
unto thee, through Jesus Christ, without blemish 
and without spot. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 

Pardon, Lord, our ignorance and infirmity, 
in whatever we have asked amiss; and grant as 
8* 



90 SEPTUAGESIMA, ETC. 

more than we are able to ask, for the sake and 
through the merits of thy dear Son Jesus Christ, 
our only mediator and advocate. Amen. 
The grace, &c. 



SATURDAY EVENING. 

Our Father, &c. 

Almighty and most gracious God and Father, 
who" art good and ready to forgive, and plenteous 
in mercy to all who call upon thee ; have respect 
unto the prayers of thy servants. Hear thou in 
heaven, thy dwelling place, and when thou hearest, 
forgive us all our sins, for Jesus Christ's sake. 

Help us to approach thee at all times with 
reverence and godly fear; and at this time, re- 
ceive the prayers which we make before thee in 
the name of thy blessed Son. We adore thy 
great goodness, in giving him to be a ransom for 
our sins ; to suffer death upon the cross, the just 
for the unjust, to bring us nearer unto thee. May 
we be found among the blessed number whom he 
has purchased unto himself for a peculiar people 
zealous of good works. May we walk worthy of 
our calling, and adorn the doctrine of God our 
Saviour in all things. 

Grant that Ave may not be insensible to the 
blessings of the Christian covenant, nor neglectful 
of the instituted means of grace, nor blind to thy 
daily mercies. Teach us to discern thy provi- 



SEPTUAGESIMA, ETC. 91 

dential hand in all that befalls us ; in sickness and 
in health, in riches and in poverty, in tribulation 
and in joy. 

Make us duly thankful for thy kindness and 
forbearance during the past week ; and grant us 
grace to devote the next faithfully to thy service, 
and to all the duties of our calling. More especi- 
ally prepare us for the services of the Lord's day ; 
that we may sanctify it by a holy rest, ceasing from 
worldly cares and pleasures, and giving up our- 
selves to thy service, and to our own spiritual 
improvement. 

Make us sensible of our uncertain condition in 
this life ; and teach us to number our days that 
we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. Let each 
night remind us of the sleep of death ; that we 
may live in continual preparation for our change, 
and be ready to lay aside the burthen of the past, 
when the appointed time of our departure shall 
come. 

O Lord, be graciously pleased to extend thy 
blessing to all mankind. Establish thy kingdom 
throughout the earth ; and grant that thy holy 
Church, may be enlarged and strengthened in this 
nation, and that thy blessing and favor may ever 
rest upon it. 

We beseech thee to protect and preserve the 
constituted authorities of our country ; and grant 
that they may remember whose ministers they are, 
and may in all things seek thy honor and glory. 
And may we, as a people, honor thee, by obedi- 



92 SEPTUAGESIMA, ETC. 

ence and and fidelity to those whom thou hast 
given to rule over us. 

Give grace to the ministers and stewards of thy 
mysteries, that they may set forth thy gospel, not 
only with their lips, but in their lives, and thus 
prove a wholesome example to their flocks. 

[Occasional Praj^ers, &c] 

Father of mercies, make thy compassions 
known to all men, and especially to the sick, the 
needy, and the afflicted, for the sake of thy dear 
Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen. 

The grace, &c. 



tnt, 



ASH-WEDNESDAY MORNING. 

Our Father, &c. 

most mighty God and merciful Father, who 
hast compassion upon all men, and hatest nothing 
that thou hast made ; we humble ourselves before 
thee, acknowledging our sinfulness, and seeking 
mercy and forgiveness at thy hands. Thou hast 
no pleasure in the death of him that dieth ; and 
hast graciously invited us, in thy holy word, to 
turn unto thee and live. The sacrifices of a 
broken and contrite spirit, thou wilt not despise. 
Give us grace, heavenly Father, that we may come 
unto thee, weary and heavy-laden with the bur- 
den of our sins, and thus find rest to our souls. 
Enter not into judgment with us, thy unworthy 
servants. Mercifully forgive us our trespasses. 
In thy tender compassion receive and comfort us ; 
and through the merits and mediation of thy 
blessed Son, absolve us from all our offences. O 
Lord, show thy mercy upon us, and grant us thy 
salvation. Turn thy face from our sins, and blot 
out all our iniquities. Send help from thy holy 
place, and let our sighing come before thee. 

Grant, O Lord, that this day may be unto us, 
such a fast as thou hast chosen. May the ministers 



94 LENT. 

of thy word blow the trumpet in Zion, and sound 
an alarm in thy holy mountain, and call a solemn 
assembly and gather the people. And we be- 
seech thee, heavenly Father, to look down with 
pity and compassion upon all those who present 
themselves before thee this day, in true penitence 
and contrition of heart. Thou knowest all their 
infirmities, and all their wants. Be thou a present 
God, to help them in their weakness, and to sup- 
ply their necessities. Thou art a merciful God, 
full of compassion, long-suffering, and of great 
kindness. Thou sparest, when we deserve pun- 
ishment, and in the midst of thy judgments thou 
rememberest mercy. Spare thy people, who turn 
to thee in fasting, and weeping, and mourning. 
Eeceive with favor, the prayers and supplications 
of thy servants, who shall this day intercede for 
perishing sinners. And what prayer and suppli- 
cation soever be made by any man, or by all thy 
people, who shall know every man the plague of 
his own heart, and spread forth his hands in thy 
house, then hear thou in heaven thy dwelling- 
place, and forgive, and do, and give to every man 
according to his ways, whose heart thou knowest. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 

O Lord Jesus Christ, who for our sake didst 
fast forty days and forty nights ; give us grace to 
use such abstinence, that our flesh, being subdued 
by the Spirit, we rrnxy ever obey thy godly mo- 
tions in righteousness and true holiness, to thy 
honor and glory, who livest and reignest with the 



LENT. 95 

Father and the Holy Ghost, one God, world with- 
out end. Amen. 



ASH-WEDNESDAY EVENING. 

O most merciful God, who according to the 
multitude of thy mercies, dost so put away the 
sins of those who truly repent, that thou re- 
memberest them no more; open thine eye of 
mercy upon us thy servants. We most earnestly 
desire pardon and forgiveness, for all that thou 
hast seen amiss in us this day. Eenew in us, 
heavenly Father, whatsoever hath been impaired 
by the fraud and malice of the devil, or by our 
own carnal will and frailty. Keep us in the faith, 
and in the unity of thy holy Church. Impute not 
unto us our former sins ; but strengthen us by 
thy holy Spirit ; and fit and prepare us to dwell 
with thee forever. 

God, who sparest when we deserve punish- 
ment, and in thy wrath rememberest mercy ; we 
humbly beseech thee, of thy great goodness, to 
comfort and succor us, in all our troubles and ad- 
versities, whensoever they oppress us. Correct 
us not in thine anger, neither chasten us in t\iy 
heavy displeasure. Give us a right understand- 
ing of thy threats and promises; that we may 
neither cast away our confidence in thee, nor 
place it anywhere but in thee. Believe the dis- 



96 LENT. 

tressed ; protect the innocent ; and awaken the 
careless and negligent. And forasmuch, as thou 
alone canst bring light out of darkness, and good 
out of evil, grant that the trials and troubles 
which we may endure, may tend to purify our 
hearts, and set us free from the bondage of sin, 
and the wiles of the adversary. Show thy ser- 
vants the light of thy countenance, and save us 
for thy mercies' sake. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 

Grant, Lord, that the solemn season on which 
we have now entered, may prove a time of re- 
freshing to our souls. Give unto us a spirit of 
prayer and supplication ; that we may approach 
thy throne with humble reverence and godly fear ; 
and hearken unto our voice, O Lord, when we 
cry unto thee. Make us a clean heart, God, 
and renew a right spirit within us. Help us to 
call our past ways to remembrance, that we may 
chasten our souls, under a sense of our manifold 
transgressions. Help us to meditate on all thy 
goodness and forbearance, while we have rebelled 
against thee, and provoked thee to anger. Help 
us to confess and forsake our sins, that thou 
ma}^est have mercy upon us. Be not displeased 
with us forever. Turn our hearts unto thee, and 
let thine anger cease from us. Help us to keep a 
watch over our hearts, and over all our future 
ways ; that so we may serve thee in righteousness 
and holiness all the days of our life. 

O Almighty God, who art a most strong tower 



LENT. 97 

to all wlio put their trust in thee ; to whom all 
things in heaven, in earth, and under the earth, 
do bow and obey ; we commend to thy gracious 
care and protection, all our dear relatives and 
friends, both present and absent. Be now and 
evermore our defence ; and make us to know and 
to feel that there is none other name under heaven 
given to man, in whom and through whom we 
may receive salvation, but only the name of our 
Lord Jesus Christ. 

And in this all-prevailing name, we conclude 
our petitions : — 

Our Father, &c. 



SUNDAY MORNING. 



Our Father, &c. 

Almighty God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 
Maker of all things, Judge of all men; we ac- 
knowledge our manifold sins and bewail our 
wickedness. We humble ourselves before thee, 
as unworthy transgressors, who have grievously 
rebelled against thee. By unholy thoughts, by 
evil words, by unrighteous deeds, we have offend- 
ed thy divine majesty, and provoked thy wrath 
and indignation against us. But, Lord, we be- 
seech thee, to bow down thine ear and hear us. 
Comfort the souls of thy servants ; for we lift up 
our hearts unto thee. We do earnestly repent, 



98 LENT. 

and are heartily sorry for all our misdoings : The 
remembrance of them is grievous unto us : The 
burden of them is intolerable. Lord, enter not 
into judgment with us ; but deliver us, and be 
merciful unto us, for thy name's sake. Thy pro- 
perty is always to have mercy. Spare us, there- 
fore, good Lord ; spare thy people, whom thou 
hast redeemed with thy most precious blood, and 
be not angry with us forever. Create and make 
in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily 
lamenting our sins, and acknowledging our 
wretchedness, may obtain of thee, the God of all 
mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness, through 
Jesus Christ our Lord. 

O God, we bless thee for thy great mercy, in 
bringing us to the beginning of this holy day. 
We adore thee for thy patience and forbearance, 
in all thy dealings with us, thy unworthy servants. 
And we beseech thee to pour out upon us the 
abundance of thy grace, that we may faithfully 
devote this day to the sacred purposes for which 
thou hast appointed it. Permit us to assemble 
together in thy house of prayer. There may we 
draw near to thee, and worship and fall down be- 
fore thee, the Lord our Maker. There may we 
offer the sacrifice of a broken spirit. There may 
we confess our sins. There may we hear the 
comfortable tidings of thy gospel. There may 
we partake of all thy mercies in Christ Jesus, and 
wash in the fountain of that blood which cleans- 
eth from all sin. 



LENT. 99 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 

O God, make this a day of rest and spiritual 
refreshment, to those whose souls have a desire 
and longing to enter into thy courts. Kemember 
them in mercy ; and guide and direct them, by 
thy heavenly grace, in their private meditations ; 
and let their prayers come up before thee as in- 
cense, and the lifting up of their hands as an ac- 
ceptable sacrifice. 

Look with pity and compassion, Lord, upon 
those who disregard and profane this sacred day. 
Awaken them to a sense of their guilt and their 
danger. Give them true repentance ; that they 
may turn away from all their wickedness, and 
henceforth walk in the way of thy command- 
ments. 

To all who are near and dear to us, heavenly 
Father, extend thy mercies. Govern and support 
them in prosperity and in tribulation ; in health 
and in sickness ; in the hour of death, and in the 
day of judgment. 

We ask for all, in the name and for the sake of 
Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with thee, O 
Father, and the Holy Ghost, be all honor and 
glory, world without end. Amen. 



100 LENT. 

SUNDAY EVENING. 

O Lord, God of our salvation, we present our 
supplications before thee ; knowing that thy arm 
is not shortened, thaf it can not save, nor thy ear 
heavy, that it can not hear. Let our prayer enter 
into thy presence, and incline thine ear unto our 
calling. Let not our iniquities separate between 
us and thee our God, nor our sins cause thee to 
hide thy face from us. Cast us not. away from 
thy presence, and take not thy holy Spirit from 
us. 

"We acknowledge, merciful Father, the imper- 
fection of our best services, during the day which 
is now closing. The wanderings of our thoughts, 
the coldness of our devotions, our carelessness, 
and negligence, and hardness, are all known to 
thee. Pardon, Lord, all our weaknesses and 
infirmities, and quicken us to greater diligence 
and fidelity in the performance of our duty to 
thee, to our neighbor, and to ourselves. Enable 
us to devote ourselves, with all our powers and 
faculties, to thee and thy service. May we keep 
in lively remembrance the truths which have been 
delivered to us this day ; that the words which we 
have heard with our outward ears, may be en- 
grafted inwardly in our hearts, and bring forth in 
us the fruit of good living. Give us thy holy 
Spirit, to enlighten our understanding, and purify 
our hearts ; that all our wishes and desires maj 
centre in what thou hast commanded. Make us 



LENT. 101 

instrumental, according to our ability and op- 
portunity, in promoting the salvation of all men, 
and especially those who are the most closely 
united to us in the bonds of friendship and society. 
Be thou ever with us in the performance of our 
several duties ; in prayer, to quicken our devo- 
tions ; in praises, to heighten our love and grati- 
tude ; and in all our works, to set a bright ex- 
ample to those around us. 

We intercede with thee, heavenly Father, for 
thy Church militant here on earth ; for her minis- 
ters and people ; and for all who profess and call 
themselves Christians. Guard thy flock, thou 
gracious Bishop and Shepherd of our souls, from 
all false doctrine, heresy, and schism ; from hard- 
ness of heart, and contempt of thy word and com- 
mandment. And illuminate, we beseech thee, 
ail Bishops, Priests, and Deacons, with true know- 
ledge and understanding of thy word; that 
through their faithful preaching and good ex- 
ample, all thy people may increase in grace, and 
meekly hear thy word, and receive it with pure 
affection, and bring forth abundantly the fruits 
of the Spirit. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 

Almighty God, we commit ourselves to thy 
care and keeping this night. We are weak and 
defenceless, exposed to dangers on every side, and 
unable to help ourselves. Keep us outwardly in 
our bodies, during the unguarded hours of re- 
pose ; that no evil may befall us, nor any alarm 



102 LENT. 

or terror disturb us. Keep us also inwardly in 
our souls ; that no wicked or hurtful thoughts, no 
corrupt imaginations, no wiles of the adversary, 
may assail us. Defend us from all adversities ; 
and bring us in peace and safety to the beginning 
of another day; that being refreshed in body, 
and strengthened by thy Spirit in the inner man, 
we may enter upon our respective duties with in- 
creasing trust and confidence in thy mercy, and 
with renewed purposes of serving thee faithfully 
and truly to the end of our days. We ask these 
blessings for ourselves, and for all our friends, re- 
latives, and brethren, for the sake of Jesus Christ 
our Lord, in whose name and words we conclude 
our petitions : — 
Our Father, &c. 



MONDAY MORNING. 

Our Father, &c. 

God, heavenly Father, who makest the out- 
goings of the morning and evening to praise thee, 
accept our hearty thanks for all thy mercies, and 
especially for the rest and refreshment of the past 
night. With this renewed token of thy goodness, 
give us newness of heart to serve thee. Look 
with favor upon our earnest desires, and stretch 
forth the right hand of thy majesty, to be our un- 
failing defence and protection. Help us to amend 



LENT. 103 

our ways and our doings ; that we may obey thy 
voice, and walk in the way that thou hast com- 
manded us ; that thou mayest be our God, and we 
may be thy people. Turn us from all our sins, that 
we may keep thy statutes, and do that which is 
lawful and right, and save our souls alive. 

O blessed Jesus, grant us grace, so to confess 
thee before men, that thou mayest confess us be- 
fore thy Father in heaven. Make us watchful 
and circumspect, that we fall not again into our 
former transgressions. Endue us with strength 
and fortitude, to take up our cross daily and fol- 
low thee, whithersoever thy voice shall call us. 
May we be strong, O Lord, in the power of thy 
might. May we put on the whole armor of God, 
and fight manfully against our spiritual enemies. 
With the girdle of truth ; the breast-plate of 
righteousness ; the shield of faith ; the helmet 
of salvation ; and the sword of the Spirit ; may 
we be able to stand against the fiery darts of the 
wicked, and all the wiles of the adversary. 

holy, blessed, and Eternal Spirit ; vouchsafe, 
we beseech thee, to direct, sanctify, and govern, 
both our hearts and bodies, in all the pursuits of 
this day. Quicken us to renewed diligence in out 
several duties ; and make us just and upright in 
all our dealings ; and charitable, kind, and com- 
passionate in all the relations of life. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 

God, whose days are without end, and whoso 
mercies can not be numbered ; make us, at all 



104 LENT. 

times, and under all circumstances, duly sensible 
of the shortness and uncertainty of human life, 
and of the transitory nature of all earthly things. 
Thou hast made our days as it were a span long ; 
and our age is even nothing in respect of thee ; 
and verily every man living, is altogether vanity. 
So teach us to number our days, that we may ap- 
ply our hearts unto wisdom. Guide and direct 
us by thy powerful hand, as we pass through this 
vale of misery ; that so we may serve thee in 
holiness and righteousness all the days of our 
life ; that when our probation shall be brought to 
a close, we may be gathered in peace to our 
fathers, having the testimony of a good con- 
science ; the witness of the Spirit that we are the 
children of God ; in the communion of the saints ; 
in the confidence of a living faith ; in the comfort 
of a reasonable, religious, and holy hope ; in favor 
with thee, our God, and in perfect charity with the 
world. 

All which we ask through Jesus Christ our 
Lord, to whom, with thee, Father, and the Holy 
Ghost, be all honor and glory, world without end. 
Amen. 



MONDAY EVENING. 



Almighty and everlasting God, by whose mer- 
ciful providence we are preserved from day to 



LENT. 105 

day, enable us to draw near to thee with rever- 
ence and godly fear. Thou knowest, Lord, the 
secrets of every heart. Turn thee unto us, in 
loving kindness, and hearken unto our prayer. 
Pardon, we beseech thee, all the sins of this day. 
Thou art full of compassion and mercy, long 
suffering, and of great goodness. Thou hast not 
dealt with us according to our sins, nor rewarded 
us according to our iniquities. Be gracious unto 
us, and look with pity on all our weaknesses and 
infirmities. Hide not thy face from us when we 
cry unto thee ; but refresh us with thy Spirit, 
and show us the light of thy countenance. By 
thy help alone, we are enabled to will and to do 
those things which are good and acceptable unto 
thee. Grant us thy continual mercy and grace. 
Let thy fatherly hand be ever over us, to sustain 
and support us. Let thy holy Spirit be ever with 
us, to guide, and direct, and lead us in the know- 
ledge and obedience of thy word ; that so in the 
end, we may obtain everlasting life. 

To thy gracious care and protection, heavenly 
Father, we commit ourselves and all our friends 
and relatives, this night. Guard us, we beseech 
thee, from every danger : and bring us in peace 
and safety to the beginning of another day. And 
enable us, by thy grace, to walk worthy of the 
vocation wherewith we are called; with lowliness 
and meekness; with long suffering, forbearing 
one another in love; endeavoring to keep the 
unity of the Spirit, in the bond of peace ; till we 



106 LENT. 

all come, in the unity of the faith, and of the 
knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect 
man, unto the measure of the stature of the full- 
ness of Christ. 

Give us grace to put off the old man, which is 
corrupt according to the deceitful lusts ; that we 
may be renewed in the spirit of our mind, and 
may put on the new man, which after God, is 
created in righteousness and true holiness. 

Grant us, God, according to the riches of thy 
grace, to be strengthened with might by thy 
Spirit in the inner man ; that Christ may dwell 
in our hearts by faith ; that we, being rooted and 
grounded in love, may be able to comprehend 
with all saints, what is the breadth, and length, 
and depth, and height ; anS to know the love of 
Christ, which passeth knowledge, that we may be 
filled with all the fullness of thee our God. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 

Now unto him that is able to do exceeding 
abundantly above all that we ask or think, ac- 
cording to the power that worketh in us, unto 
him be glory in the Church by Christ Jesus, 
throughout all ages, world without end. A men. 

Our Father, &c. 



LENT. 107 

TUESDAY MORNING. 

Almighty and most merciful God, we humble 
ourselves before thee as unworthy sinners. In 
thy great goodness, have mercy upon us, and 
hearken unto our prayer. We approach thy 
throne, in weakness, and infirmity, and in fear 
and trembling. We ask nothing for our own 
merits or righteousness : For we are a sinful 
people, laden with iniquity. But for thy dear 
Son's sake, hide not thy face from us ; but incline 
thine ear when we call upon thee in his all pre- 
vailing name. For his sake, help and deliver us. 
For his sake, have mercy upon us ; God, have 
mercy upon us. 

God, look down in kindness and compassion 
upon this nation. Bestow thy heavenly grace on 
our civil rulers and magistrates ; that they may 
rule in thy fear, and in humble reliance on thy 
guidance and protection ; that so, thy people, be- 
ing secure through the protection of equal laws, 
and the administration of impartial justice, may 
joyfully serve thee in all godly quietness ; and 
live in love and unity with each other, and in 
peace and friendship with all mankind. Save us, 
O God, from sin, and all its evil consequences. 
Send us help from thy holy place, and evermore 
mightily defend us. Let the enemy have no ad- 
vantage of us ; nor the wicked come near to hurt 
us. Bo unto us, Lord, a strong tower ; that 



108 LENT. 

thy people may rejoice in thee, and in the multi- 
tude of thy mercies find plenteous redemption. 

Merciful Lord, we beseech thee to cast the 
bright beams of light upon thy holy Church. 
Give to her Bishops and other Ministers, know- 
ledge of thy will ; and endue them with grace to 
preach thy word with faithfulness and zeal, and 
to set a bright example of blameless living be- 
fore the flocks committed to their trust. And 
grant that thy people, being rightly instructed in 
the doctrines of thy word, may so walk in the 
light of thy truth, that they may at length attain 
to everlasting life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 

O God, enable us to walk with watchfulness 
and circumspection this day ; to guard against the 
sins which most easily beset us ; to restrain every 
unholy passion ; to subdue the desires and appe- 
tites which war against the soul ; to cultivate the 
virtues and graces of our Christian calling ; and 
to adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all 
things. May we never be ashamed to confess the 
faith of Christ crucified ; and we beseech thee, 
gracious God, to give us strength to fight manfully 
under his banner, against sin, the world, and the 
devil, and to continue Christ's faithful soldiers 
and servants unto our life's end. 

We commend to thy mercy and grace, heavenly 
Father, all our relatives, friends and brethren, 
whether present or absent. May their repentance 
be. perfect, and their faith strong, and their love 



LENT. 109 

fervent, and their hope steadfast; that so, they 
may live to thy glory, and at last be gathered 
with all the faithful to the mansions of everlasting 
bliss. 

We present these our humble and imperfect 
petitions, in the name and through the merits of 
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

Our Father, &c. 

The grace, &c. 



TUESDAY EVENING. 

Lord, God Almighty, gracious and merciful, 
who art slow to anger, and of great kindness, let 
our prayer enter into thy presence, and incline 
thine ear unto our calling. Thou desirest no 
sacrifice, else would we give it thee. The sacrifice 
of God is a troubled spirit : A broken and a con- 
trite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. We 
acknowledge our faults, and our sin is ever before 
us. But, we beseech thee, rebuke us not in thine 
anger. Chasten us not in thy heavy displeasure : 
Have compassion upon us, and wash us thoroughly 
from our wickedness, and cleanse us from our 
sins. Teach us thy ways, and lead us in the paths 
of righteousness. Guide us by thy counsel, and 
govern us by thy good Spirit. Enable us to draw 
near to thee at this time, with reverence and godly 

fear that we may look for an answer of peace, 
10 



110 LENT. 

through the merits and intercession of thy blessed 
Son our Saviour Jesus Christ. 

We thank thee, heavenly Father, for the daily 
blessings and bounties of thy good providence. 
Our days are passing away like a shadow, and all 
flesh is withering like grass. We are admonished 
by every instance of mortality, of the shortness 
and uncertainty of human life, and of the transi- 
tory nature of all earthly things. But of thy 
great goodness, Lord, our days are still pro- 
longed. Thou art graciously pleased to give us 
farther space for repentance, and new opportuni- 
ties for making our peace with thee. Grant us 
grace, we beseech thee, so to improve the time that 
remains, that when our years shall come to an end, 
we may be well fitted and prepared for thy 
heavenly kingdom. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 

Lord God, who has taught us to make prayers 
and supplications for others as well as for our- 
selves, be graciously pleased to hear our interces- 
sions for all men. Be merciful to our friends, 
relatives, and brethren. Keep them in safety 
during the perils of this night, and bring them in 
health and peace to the beginning of another day. 
Above all, guard them from the enticements of 
sin, and from the wiles of the adversary, that they 
may serve thee, the living God, in righteousness 
and holiness, all the days of their life. 

Show the light of thy countenance to those who 
fear thee, and hope in thy mercy. And to those 



LENT. Ill 

who are in heaviness through manifold tempta- 
tions, extend thy compassion and loving kindness. 
In the midst of the sorrows which they have in 
their hearts, let thy comforts refresh their souls. 
And may it please thee, Lord, who hast thyself 
suffered, being tempted, to succor them also that 
are tempted. 

Have pity, heavenly Father, upon those who 
have hitherto trodden under foot thy beloved Son, 
and have counted the blood of the everlasting 
covenant an unholy thing, and are doing despite 
to the spirit of grace. Awaken them to true re- 
pentance and contrition of heart, that they may 
hereafter walk in newness of life, and serve thee 
acceptably all their days. And, O God, we be- 
seech thee, have compassion on those who have 
departed from the truth, and fallen away from the 
faith, and are sinning wilfully after having re- 
ceived the knowledge of the truth. Eenew them 
again to repentance ; and grant that they may no 
more crucify thy dear Son, and put him to open 
shame ; but may from henceforth glorify God, 
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

Our Father, &c. 

The grace, &c. 



112 LENT. 

WEDNESDAY MORNING. 

gracious and merciful God, who hast com- 
passion upon all men, and hatest nothing that thou 
hast made ; we humble ourselves before thee, ac- 
knowledging our sinfulness, and seeking, mercy 
and forgiveness at thy hand. Thou hast no pleas- 
ure in the death of him that dieth; and hast 
graciously invited us, in thy holy word, to turn 
unto thee and live. The sacrifices of a broken 
and contrite spirit, thou wilt not despise. Give 
us grace, heavenly Father, that we may come 
unto thee, weary and heavy-laden with the burden 
of our sins, and thus find rest to our souls. Enter 
not into judgment with us, thy unworthy ser- 
vants. Mercifully forgive us our trespasses. In 
thy tender compassion, receive and comfort us ; 
and through the merits and mediation of thy 
blessed Son, absolve us from all our offences. O 
Lord, show thy mercy upon us, and grant us thy 
salvation. Turn thy face from our sins, and blot 
out all our iniquities. Send help from thy holy 
place, and let our supplications come accepta- 
bly before thee. 

Grant, Lord, that this solemn season may be 
made profitable to the souls of thy people. Give 
power and grace to the ministers of thy word, 
that they may lift up the voice of warning, and 
admonish the impenitent and careless of their 
danger ; and awaken the negligent and lukewarm 
to renewed diligence and fidelity in the duties of 



LENT. 113 

their calling. And we beseech thee, heavenly 
Father, to look down with pity and compassion 
upon all those who present themselves before thee 
in true penitence and contrition of heart. Thou 
knowest all their infirmities, and all their wants. 
Be thou a present God, to help them in their 
weakness, and to supply their necessities. Thou 
art a merciful God, full of compassion, long- 
suffering, and of great kindness. Thou sparest, 
when we deserve punishment, and in the midst of 
thy judgments, thou rememberest mercy. Spare 
thy people, who turn to thee in a broken spirit. 
And, God, receive with favor the prayers and 
supplications of thy servants, who shall intercede 
for perishing sinners. And what prayer and sup- 
plication soever be made by any man, or by all 
thy people, who shall know every man the plague 
of his own heart, and spread forth his hands be- 
fore thee ; then hear thou in heaven, thy dwell- 
ing-place, and forgive, and do, and give to every 
man according to his ways, whose heart thou 
knowest. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 

Lord Jesus Christ, who for our sake didst fast 

forty days and forty nights ; give us grace to use 

such abstinence, that our flesh, being subdued by 

the Spirit, we may ever obey thy godly motions 

in righteousness and true holiness, to thy honor 

and glory, who livest and reignest with the Father 

and the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. 

Amen. Our Father, &c. The grace, &0. 
10* 



114 LENT. 

WEDNESDAY EVENING. 

most merciful God, who, according to the 
multitude of thy mercies, dost so put away the 
sins of those who truly repent, that thou remem- 
berest them no more, open thine eye of mercy 
upon us thy servants. We most earnestly desire 
pardon and forgiveness, for all that thou hast seen 
amiss in us this day. Eenew in us, heavenly 
Father, whatsoever hath been impaired by the 
fraud and malice of the devil, or by our own car- 
nal will and frailty. Keep us in the faith, and in 
the unity of thy holy Church. Impute not unto 
us our former sins ; but strengthen us by thy 
holy Spirit, and fit and prepare us to dwell with 
thee forever. 

God, who sparest when we deserve punish- 
ment, and in thy wrath rememberest mercy, we 
humbly beseech thee, of thy great goodness, to 
comfort and succor us in all our troubles and ad- 
versities, whensoever they oppress us. Correct 
us not in thine anger, neither chasten us in thy 
heavy displeasure. Give us a right understand- 
ing of thy threats and promises, that we may 
neither cast away our confidence in thee, nor 
place it anywhere but in thee. Eelieve the dis- 
tressed ; protect the innocent ; and awaken the 
careless and negligent. And forasmuch as thou 
alone canst bring light out of darkness, and good 
out of evil, grant that the trials and troubles which 
we may endure, may tend to purify our hearts, 



LENT. 115 

and set us free from the bondage of sin and the 
wiles of the adversary. Show thy servants the 
light of thy countenance, and save us for thy 
mercies' sake. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 

Grant, O Lord, that this solemn season may 
prove a time of refreshing to our souls. Give 
unto us a spirit of prayer and supplication, that 
we may approach thy throne at all times with 
humble reverence and godly fear ; and hearken 
unto our voice, O Lord, when we cry unto thee. 
Make us a clean heart, God, and renew a right 
spirit within us. Help us to call our past ways 
to remembrance, that we may chasten our souls, 
under a sense of our manifold transgressions. 
Help as to meditate on all thy goodness and for- 
bearance, while we have rebelled against thee, and 
provoked thee to anger. Help us to confess and 
forsake our sins, that thou mayest have mercy 
upon us. Be not displeased with us forever. 
Turn our hearts unto thee, and let thine anger 
cease from us. Help us to keep a watch over our 
hearts, and over all our future ways ; that so we 
may serve thee in righteousness and holiness all 
the days of our life. 

O Almighty God, who art a most strong tower 
to all who put their trust in thee ; to whom all 
things in heaven, in earth, and under the earth, 
do bow and obey ; we commend to thy gracious 
care and protection, all our dear relatives and 
friends, both present and absent. Be now and 



116 LENT. 

evermore our defence ; and make us to know and 
to feel that there is none other name under heaven 
given to man, in whom and through whom we 
may receive salvation, but only the name of our 
Lord Jesus Christ. 

And in this all -prevailing name we conclude 
our petitions : — 

Our Father, &c. 

The grace, &c. 



THURSDAY MORNING. 



Almighty God and merciful Father, thou art 
our hope and our strong hold : thou art our God, 
in whom we will trust. Thou hast kept us 
through the dangers of the past night : Thou hast 
brought us in safety to the beginning of another 
day. For these, thy great mercies, we bless thee, 
we praise thee, we glorify thy name. May we 
come before thee, under a deep and humiliating 
sense of our unworthiness. Helpless and miser- 
able sinners, we ask nothing for our own merits or 
deservings. But we know, Lord God, that thou 
art full of compassion and mercy, long-suffering, 
and plenteous in goodness and truth. O turn thee 
unto us, therefore, in pity and forbearance, and 
have mercy upon us. For the sake of thy dear 
Son, Jesus Christ, pardon our transgressions, and 
receive us graciously, and hear the supplications 



LENT. 117 

which we present unto thee in his all-prevailing 
name. 

And since we are by nature prone to evil, and 
unable of ourselves to purify our hearts, we pray 
thee, God, to cleanse our thoughts by the power- 
ful efficacy of thy grace, from all vain desires, and 
sinful imaginations. Grant unto us thy holy 
Spirit. May it dwell within us, as a spirit of 
purity and holiness, a spirit of truth and of wisdom, 
of peace also, and love, and of holy joy, and con- 
solation. May we pass this day in humble con- 
sciousness of our dependence, in thankful re- 
membrance of thy mercies, and in the diligent 
performance of thy commandments. May no 
evil thoughts, or angry passions, or distressing 
doubts or fears disturb us. May we serve thee, 
our God, with cheerfulness and fidelity ; and live 
in peace, and charity, and brotherly love with all 
men. May we be kind and benevolent ; patient 
under adversity, and thankful in prosperity ; and 
pass all our days in sobriety, moderation, and 
temperance. 

We pray thee, Lord, so to animate our minds 
with the glorious hopes set before us in thy word, 
that all our present trials, and sacrifices, and self- 
denials, may be borne with cheerful resignation 
and submission. May we count the loss of all 
things as nothing, in comparison with the inward 
satisfaction and joy, which the gospel affords in 
the midst of worldly disappointments. But, O 
God, deliver us, we beseech thee, from everv false 



118 LENT. 

or delusive hope. Let us examine well our foun- 
dation ; and let us remember, that other founda- 
tion can no man lay, than that which is laid, even 
Jesus Christ our Lord. On this foundation may 
we begin, and continue, and finish, all our doings ; 
until every evil habit is destroyed, every sinful 
inclination cast out, every temptation overcome, 
and every terror done away ; and until the Spirit 
itself bears witness with our spirit, that we are 
the children of God. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 

To the care and protection of thy good provi- 
dence, heavenly Father, we now commend our- 
selves, and all our relatives, friends, and brethren. 
Look with favor upon those who ask. an interest 
in our prayers ; and may our mutual and united 
supplications ascend to thy throne as acceptable 
incense, and receive an answer of peace, through 
the merits and intercession of Jesus Christ our 
Lord. Amen. 

Our Father, &c. 

The grace, &c. 



THURSDAY EVENING. 



merciful Grod and heavenly Father, Maker of 
all things, and Judge of all men, we, the helpless 
creatures of thy bounty, and the humble depend- 
ants on thy will, desire now to offer up our 



LENT. 119 

acknowledgments to thee, for all thy goodness, and 
especially for thy over-ruling care and protection 
during the past day. We approach thy throne as 
unworthy sinners, and implore thy forgiving 
mercy. "We lament the trespasses which we daily 
commit against thee. Thou knowest all our in- 
firmities, and seest all our hearts, and searchest 
out all our ways. Pity, we beseech thee, our 
blindness and ignorance, and our proneness to 
err from the paths of uprightness. Our hearts 
are deceitful above all things, and desperately 
wicked; and we know not in how many things 
we constantly offend. But we beseech thee, for 
Jesus Christ's sake, to pardon whatever evil we 
have thought, or said, or done this day. Turn 
away thy face from the multitude of our iniqui- 
ties, and enable us to examine our hearts and lives 
by the light of thine unerring word, that we may 
repent and turn from our transgressions, that 
iniquity may not be our ruin. 

We pray thee to pour down upon us the gift of 
thy holy Spirit, that we may amend our ways, 
and purify our hearts, and walk before thee in 
newness of life. Teach us to improve the means 
of grace and knowledge with which we are 
favored: Eemembering always, that unto whom 
much is given, of them will much be required. 
Let us not bury the talent which thou hast be- 
stowed upon us, lest we stand condemned as un- 
profitable servants. As we have received Christ 
Jesus the Lord, so let us walk in him. May we 



120 LENT. 

cultivate those tempers, and abound in those 
works, which the gospel requires. May the 
graces of meekness and patience, of kindness and 
forbearance, of benevolence and charity, be the 
ornaments of our lives. Being established in the 
love of God, may we also love our fellow-men 
with pureness and singleness of heart : And let 
us abound in all the fruits of righteousness, which 
are by Jesus Christ, to the praise and glory of 
God. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 

We beseech thee, heavenly Father, to bless unto 
us the events of thy holy providence ; and so to 
order all things, during the remainder of our days, 
that they may issue in our eternal good. Make us 
duly sensible at all times, of the shortness and 
uncertainty of human life. Teach us to realize the 
solemn truth, that we know not what a day may 
bring forth, or what shall be on the morrow. 
Sanctify to us all the vicissitudes through which 
we are called to pass, whether prosperity or adver- 
sity, health or sickness, joy or sorrow. May we 
consider all things as coming from thy fatherly 
hand; that we may neither repine under thy chas- 
tisements, nor prove forgetful of thy mercies. In 
cheerfulness and contentment, and in reconcilia- 
tion with thee, our God, may we enjoy peace 
within ourselves, and live in perfect charity with 
all mankind. 

We ask for all, for ourselves, and in behalf of 
those who are near and dear to us, in the name 



LENT. 121 

of Jesus Christ, our blessed Lord and Saviour. 
Amen. 

Our Father, &c. 

The grace, &c. 



FRIDAY MORNING. 



most merciful God, behold with compassion 
thy weak and sinful creatures, waiting for thy 
blessing at the throne of grace. Grant us a spirit 
of prayer and supplication, that we may approach 
thee in a time acceptable, and offer unto thee the 
sincere devotions of humble and contrite hearts. 
And hear us, we beseech thee, in loving kindness; 
and in the multitude of thy tender mercies, draw 
nigh unto thy servants, whom thou hast redeemed 
with the precious blood of thy dear Son. 

We do not present our supplications, hoping to 
be heard for our own righteousness ; for we ac- 
knowledge that we are unworthy sinners, and can 
not justify ourselves in thy sight. But we bow 
the knee before thee in the name of him, whom 
thou thyself hast made the Lord our Eighteous- 
ness : And through him we pray thee to show us 
thy mercy, and to grant us thy salvation. 

May we now go forth to the discharge of our 
several duties, in thy fear, and in humble depend- 
ence on thy protection. Grant us thy Holy Spirit, 

to guide and direct us in all the relations of life, 
11 



122 LENT. 

and to restrain us from every vain and sinful 
indulgence. Enable us to abstain from those 
luxuries and pleasures which turn away the heart 
from serving thee, and endanger the peace and 
welfare of the soul. Preserve us from the snares 
and enticements of the wicked. Keep our feet 
from falling, and our souls from death, that we 
may walk before thee in the light of the living. 
Dispose us, day by day, to give all diligence, to 
add to our faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge, 
and to knowledge temperance, and to temperance 
brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness 
charity. Grant that these, and all other heavenly 
dispositions, may be in us and abound, that so we 
may not be idle or unfruitful in the knowledge of 
our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 

Prepare us, God, for the various changes of 
this mortal life. In every visitation, may we see 
thy over-ruling hand ; that we may humble our- 
selves in adversity, and receive thy bounties with 
devout and thankful hearts. Eegard with com- 
passion all sorts and conditions of men. Preserve 
the rich from temptation ; and teach them to trust 
not in uncertain riches, but in thee the living God. 
And to the poor, give contentment and submis- 
sion ; that they may be rich in faith, and heirs of 
the kingdom which thou hast promised to them 
that love thee. Save and defend all the faithful 
in Christ Jesus. Holy Father, keep through thine 
own name those w T hom thou hast given him ; that 



LENT. 123 

they all may be one, as thou, Father, art in him, 
and he in thee ; that they also may be one, even 
as ye are one. 

Comfort the afflicted ; succor the tempted ; 
strengthen the weak ; instruct the ignorant ; and 
reclaim the wandering : And grant unto all men, 
that godliness which is profitable unto all things ; 
having the promise of the life that now is, and of 
that which is to come. 

We ask for all, in the name and for the sake of 
Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with thee, O 
Father, and the Holy Ghost, be all honor and 
glory, world without end. Amen. 

Our Father, &c. 

The grace, &c. 



PEIDAY EVENING. 



Father of mercies, and God of all comfort, 
who art our constant protector, and the giver of 
every blessing which we enjoy ; we humbly and 
heartily thank thee for thy mercies during the 
past day ; and we pray thee to preserve us through 
the night, and to cause thy peace at this time to 
rest upon us. We ask the forgiveness of all our 
sins. Eemember not against us the transgressions 
of this day, or of our past lives : But grant unto 
us true repentance, and a saving faith in our Lord 
Jesus Christ. Give us a due sense of our great 



124 LENT. 

unworthiness, and of the manifold transgressions 
which we daily commit against thee. Help us to 
exercise that godly sorrow which worketh repent- 
ance unto salvation. And when we appear before 
thee, weary and heavy-laden with the burden of 
our sins, we beseech thee to show unto us the light 
of thy reconciled countenance, and grant us the 
comforts of thy Holy Spirit ; that we may go to 
our rest in peace, and in the hope of pardon of all 
our sins, through the all-prevailing merits of our 
dear Eedeemer. 

Teach us, Lord, so to number our days, that 
we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. Let us 
remember, that we are daily and hourly drawing 
nearer to the grave : And may we learn, by every 
instance of mortality, that our hold on life is feeble 
and uncertain, and we know not how soon it may 
please thee to bring it to an end. blessed Lord, 
by whose mercy we have been spared another day, 
give us grace to redeem the time that yet remains, 
and to use all diligence to fill up the measure of 
our duties, and to finish the work which thou hast 
given us to do, before we be called hence, to give 
up our account to thee. 

Let us beware, that we stifle not the voice of an 
awakened conscience, nor neglect or delay to exe- 
cute any good resolutions which, by thy grace, we 
have formed. Above all, may no one put off the 
work of repentance, or refuse to hear the warnings 
of the gospel. Dispose us, at the close of every 
day, to try and examine our lives by the standard 



LENT. 125 

of thy holy word ; that we may turn from every 
evil way, and live henceforth as becomes the 
creatures of thy bounty and the partakers of thy 
grace. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 

Bless, we pray thee, all our relatives, friends, 
and brethren. Make them thy children by adop- 
tion and grace, and extend to them all the benefits 
of thy gospel. Have mercy on our native land; 
and continue to us, if it please thee, the blessings 
which we have so long and so unthankfully en- 
joyed. Save us from national judgments; and 
punish us not according to our deserts. But spare 
us, good Lord ; spare us, for the sake of thy dear 
Son. Grive wisdom and integrity, we beseech 
thee, to our civil rulers and magistrates. May 
they rule in thy fear, and seek thy glory. Endue 
them, and the people under them, with that right- 
eousness which exalteth a nation ; and save them 
from those sins which are a reproach to any people. 

These and all other things needful for our bodies 
and our souls, for our temporal and eternal inter- 
ests, we humbly ask, in the name of our only 
mediator and intercessor Jesus Christ. Amen. 

Our Father, &c. 

The grace, &c. 

11* 



126 LENT. 

SATURDAY MORNING. 

most gracious and merciful God, we beseech 
thee to pour down thy blessing on us, thy servants, 
who are now assembled in thy presence, to confess 
our sins, to praise thy name, and to implore the 
continuance of thy mercies through another day. 
We are weak and helpless, sinful and corrupt, and 
exposed to danger on every side. We stand in 
continual need of thy assistance ; and without thee 
we can do nothing. But how shall we come into 
thy presence, before whom the angels veil their 
faces, and in whose sight the heavens are not 
clean ! Blessed be thy holy name that a door of 
access has been opened to thy throne, through the 
atoning sacrifice of thy beloved Son. Blessed be 
thy holy name, for the gracious assurance, that 
whosoever shall seek thy face through the all-pre- 
vailing efficacy of his intercession, shall in no wise 
be cast out. We come to thee, pleading this thy 
assurance ; and we beseech thee, of thine infinite 
goodness, to continue to us this day, thy wonted 
care and protection ; and enable us to discharge, 
with fidelity and diligence, all the duties of our 
several callings. 

Enable us to pass this day, under an abiding 
sense of thy continual presence, wheresoever we 
are. Let us remember, that thou searchest out all 
our ways; and that there is not a word in our 
tongue, or a thought or intent of our heart, that 
is not known to thee our God. We pray thee 



LENT. 127 

therefore to bring all our most secret thoughts 
into subjection to the gospel; and enable us so 
to live, that we may have the testimony of our 
consciences, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, 
we have our conversation in the world. 

Give us grace to overcome our sinful appetites 
and passions ; to mortify our pride ; and to bring 
every member of our bodies, and every faculty of 
our souls, into captivity to the law of Christ. May 
we put away all hatred and variance, all anger and 
strife, all malice and evil-speaking ; and learn to 
forgive one another, even as we hope to be for- 
given. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 

Prepare us, God, for all the events of this 
day. Sanctify to us our prosperity and our ad- 
versity, our health and our sickness, our daily 
comforts and enjoyments, as well as our anxieties 
and disappointments. Purify our hearts more and 
more, by the various dispensations of thy provi- 
dence ; and fit us, by the several vicissitudes of 
this mortal life, for that great and final change 
which we must soon experience. 

We earnestly commend to thy fatherly care, all 
those whom it is our duty to remember in our 
prayers. Be merciful to all men ; and especially 
to the poor, the sick, the needj^ and the afflicted. 
Make all their troubles and trials to work together 
for their present and eternal good, through Jesus 
Christ our Lord, to whom, with the Father, and 



128 LENT. 

the Holy Ghost, be all honor and glory, world 
without end. Amen. 

Our Father, &c. 

The grace, &c. 



SATURDAY EVENING. 

Almighty God, Father of all mercies, we come 
before thee, humbled under a sense of our sins and 
infirmities, beseeching thee to look down upon us 
in thy wonted pity and compassion, pardoning 
our iniquities, and accepting our supplications, for 
Jesus Christ's sake. 

In the midst of thy manifold and great mercies, 
we lament the coldness of our hearts, and the im- 
perfection of our best services. We have left 
undone those things which we ought to have done ; 
and we have done those things which we ought 
not to have done ; and we feel and acknowledge 
that, in our best estate, we are unprofitable ser- 
vants. But, O God, we draw near to thee, in pen- 
itence and contrition, asking forgiveness for all 
our misdoings, and especially for the transgressions 
of the past day. Who can tell how often he of- 
fendeth ! O cleanse us, we beseech thee, from our 
secret faults ; and purify our hearts, and sanctify 
our affections, that we may henceforth serve thee 
in holiness and righteousness all the days of our 
life. 



LENT. 129 

We ask nothing for our own merits : But we 
plead the name of Jesus Christ thy Son, in whom 
thou hast taught us to place our whole confidence 
and hope. Father Almighty, pardon us for his 
sake. May his meritorious sacrifice atone for our 
offences: May his precious blood cleanse our 
hearts from every stain of guilt : May his inter- 
cession prevail with thee in our behalf: May we 
believe unfeignedly in his name : May we bring 
forth fruits of obedience worthy of this faith: 
May we be justified freely by his grace : and may 
we go to rest this night, in peace with thee, and in 
perfect charity with all mankind. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 

Prepare our minds, God, for the solemn duties 
of the ensuing day. Give us grace to examine 
our hearts and lives, by the standard of thy pure 
and holy law. Let us earnestly inquire, whether 
we have truly renounced the devil and all his 
works, the vain pomp and glory of the world, and 
the sinful desires of the flesh. Let us search out 
all deceitful evasions, and flattering disguises, and 
endeavor to know ourselves, even as we are 
known of thee. Let us look back on our past 
transgressions, with shame and contrition, and 
with sincere purpose and desire to live hereafter 
to thy glory. And being thus prepared, God, 
may the coming sabbath be a day of rest and 
peace to our souls. May we go with the multitude, 
to thy house of prayer. There may we offer thee 
a holy worship. May we grow in grace, and 



13C LENT. 

learn more and more how to walk so as to please 
thee: and thus be prepared for that better sab- 
bath, that eternal rest, which remains for the 
people of God. 

Grant us these our humble petitions, for the 
sake of Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour. A men. 

Our Father, &c. 

Unto God's gracious care and protection we 
now commit ourselves, and all our relatives, friends, 
and brethren, for this night. The Lord bless us 
and keep us. The Lord make his face to shine 
upon us, and be merciful unto us. The Lord lift 
up his countenance upon us, and give us peace, 
both now and evermore. Amen. 



Jaaaifftt Wtnh 



SUNDAY MORNING. 



Our Father, &c. 

Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping 
thy covenant and mercy to them that love thee and 
obey thy commandments; we have sinned, and 
have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, 
even by departing from thy precepts, and from 
thy judgments ; neither have we hearkened unto 
thy holy word. Lord, righteousness belongeth 
unto thee, but unto us confusion of face, because 
we have sinned against thee. To thee, our God, 
belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have 
rebelled against thee; neither have we obeyed 
thy voice, to walk in thy laws, which thou hast 
set before us. Lord, according to all thy 
righteousness, we beseech thee, let thine anger 
and thy fury be turned away from us. Hear our 
prayers and our supplications, which we make 
before thee this day ; and cause thy face to shine 
upon us in thy sanctuary : For we do not present 
our supplications before thee for our righteous- 
ness, but for thy great mercies in Christ Jesus. 

We adore thee, heavenly Father, for thy tender 
love towards mankind, in sending thy only Son 
our Saviour Jesus Christ into the world, to take 



132 PASSION WEEK. 

upon him our flesh, and suffer death upon the 
cross for our redemption. Grant us grace to 
meditate, with deep humility and contrition, on 
this great mystery of godliness. Grant that the 
lessons of thy holy word, which are brought be- 
fore us this day, may prove profitable to us, for 
doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction 
in righteousness, that we may be perfected in 
holiness, and thoroughly furnished unto all good 
works. 

When we behold our blessed Saviour, betrayed 
and given up into the hands of wicked men, to be 
crucified, may we learn to guard against those 
wicked and deceitful lusts which war against the 
soul. When we witness the weakness and frailty 
of the early disciples of our suffering Lord, may 
we the more earnestly seek for that grace, which 
alone can strengthen our faith, and help us in 
time of need. When we call to our remembrance 
the Saviour's agony and bloody sweat, and behold 
him exceeding sorrowful, even unto death, may 
our hearts bleed with penitence and contrition ; 
and may we abhor and renounce those sins and 
iniquities for which he was stricken, and wounded, 
and put to grief. When we see him despised and 
rejected, and hear the cry of Crucify him ! Crucify 
him ! may we strive to subdue those unholy 
passions, by which we crucify our Lord afresh, 
and put his cause to open shame. When we see 
the meek and lowly Redeemer, led as a lamb to 
the slaughter, neither opening his mouth, nor 



PASSION WEEK. 133 

resisting the violence of his oppressors, may we 
learn to imitate the example of his great humility, 
and patiently follow him whithersoever his voice 
shall call us. When we see the atoning blood, 
flowing down from the cross, may we, by a true 
and living faith, so apply it to our hearts, that 
our guilt may be washed away, and we may 
appear before thee, clothed in the spotless robe of 
the righteousness of Christ. 

And may we from henceforth, God, faithfully 
follow that Blessed and Holy One, whom thou 
hast highly exalted, and to whom thou hast given 
a name that is above every name; that at the 
name of Jesus every knee may bow, of things in 
heaven, and things in earth, and things under the 
earth ; and that every tongue may confess that 
Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the 
Father. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 

And may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, 
and the love of God, and the fellowship of the 
Holy Ghost, be with us all evermore. Amen. 



SUNDAY EVENING. 

Our Father, &c. 

Almighty and everlasting God, we adore thee 

for thy tender compassion and loving kindness to 

us, and to the whole family of mankind. We 
12 * 



134 PASSION WEEK. 

bless thee for the gift of thy dear Son, through 
whose atoning sacrifice we are brought near to 
thee, and by whose meritorious death and passion 
we are redeemed from death, and from the guilt 
and burden of our sins. We do not presume to 
come before thee, merciful Lord, trusting in 
our own righteousness, but in thy manifold and 
great mercies. "We acknowledge and bewail our 
many and sore offences, for which our Lord Jesus 
Christ humbled himself, and became obedient 
unto death, even the painful death of the cross ; 
and for which thou wast pleased to bruise him, 
and put him to grief. May we keep in lively 
remembrance the agonies which he endured for 
our sake. May we remember, that he hath borne 
our griefs, and carried our sorrows ; that he was 
wounded for our transgressions, and bruised for 
our iniquities ; that the chastisement of our peace 
was upon him ; that by his stripes we are healed ; 
and that upon him was laid the iniquity of us all. 
May we remember the exceeding great love of our 
blessed Saviour Jesus Christ, in dying for our 
sins, and the innumerable benefits, which by his 
precious blood-shedding he hath obtained for us. 
And may we offer and present unto thee, our- 
selves, our souls, and bodies, to be a reasonable 
holy, and living sacrifice ; humbly beseeching 
thee, at all times, to accept our bounden duty and 
service, not weighing our merits, but pardoning 
our offences, through Jesus Christ our Lord. 
[Occasional Prayers, &c] 



PASSION WEEK. 135 

Grant, heavenly Father, that the instructive 
lessons which we have heard this day with our 
outward ears, may, through thy grace, be so 
grafted inwardly in our hearts, that they may 
bring forth in us the fruits of good living ; and 
that in all our walk and conversation, we may 
henceforth glory in nothing else but the cross of 
our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Prepare our hearts, God, for the solemn duties 
of the present week. Direct our meditations, and 
give us grace to enter into thy presence, by the 
blood of Jesus, by that new and living way which 
he hath consecrated for us ; and having him for 
our Great High Priest, may we draw near with a 
true heart, in full assurance of faith, having our 
hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our 
bodies washed with pure water. May we hold 
fast the profession of our faith without wavering, 
knowing that he is faithful who hath promised to 
him that overcometh, a crown of victory and 
eternal glory. All which we ask through Jesus 
Christ our Lord. 

Unto God's gracious care and protection, we 
now commit ourselves, and all our relatives and 
friends, for this night. The Lord bless us and 
keep us. The Lord make his face to shine upon 
us, and be merciful unto us. The Lord lift up 
his countenance upon us and give us peace, both 
now and evermore. Amen. 



136 PASSION WEEK. 

MONDAY, TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, A.ND THURSDAY 
MORNING. 

Almighty God, the Father of our Lord Jesus 
Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and 
earth is named, we bow our knees before thee, 
beseeching thee to look down upon us from the 
habitation of thy glory, and mercifully hear and 
accept the supplications with which we begin this 
day. Grant us, according to the riches of thy 
grace, to be strengthened with might by thy Spirit 
in the inner man ; that Christ may dwell in our 
hearts by faith ; that, being rooted and grounded 
in love, we may be able to comprehend what is 
the breadth, and length, and depth, and height ; 
and to know the love of Christ, which passeth 
knowledge, that we may be filled with all the 
fullness of thee, our God. 

With the returning light of another day, grant 
us grace to meditate on the wonders of redeeming 
grace. Give us a grateful sense of thy unspeak- 
able love, in sending thy blessed Son Jesus Christ 
into the world to die for us, while we were yet 
sinners, that he might reconcile us unto thee. 
May we behold in his meritorious death, that one 
oblation of himself, once offered, by which he 
hath perfected forever them that are sanctified, by 
finishing transgression, making an end of sin, 
making reconciliation for iniquity, and bringing 
in everlasting righteousness. 

Help us to draw near to the cross of Jesus, that 



PASSION WEEK. 137 

our eyes and our hearts may be turned away from 
the pomps and vanities of the world : And when 
we behold the Lord of glory bearing our sins in 
his own body on the tree, may the world be 
crucified unto us, and we unto the world. When 
we behold the suffering Eedeemer, tasting death 
for our sins, teach us to bear afflictions and trials 
with patience and resignation. In all our afflic- 
tions, may we turn to the example of him, who 
was oppressed and afflicted, yet opened not his 
mouth ; who, when he was reviled, reviled not 
again ; when he suffered, threatened not ; but 
committed himself unto him who judge th right- 
eously. In all our troubles and adversities, enable 
us, in the true spirit of our suffering Lord, to say, 
not our will, Father, but thine be done. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 

Almighty and everlasting God, by whose Spirit 
the whole body of the Church is governed and 
sanctified, receive our supplications and prayers 
for all our friends, relatives, and brethren, and for 
all conditions of men in thy holy Church : And 
grant that every member of the same, in his voca- 
tion and ministrjr, may truly and godly serve thee, 
through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 
Amen. 

Our Father, &c. 

The grace, &c. 

12* 



138 PASSION WEEK. 

MONDAY, TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, AND THURSDAY 
EVENING. 

Our Father, &c. 

All glory be to thee, Almighty God, our 
heavenly Father, for that thou, of thy tender 
mercy, didst give thine only Son Jesus Christ to 
suffer death upon the cross for our redemption ; 
who made there, by his one oblation of himself 
once offered, a full, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice, 
oblation, and satisfaction for the sins of the whole 
world. Grant, heavenly Father, that by his merits 
and death, and through faith in his blood, we and 
all the members of thy Church, may obtain re- 
mission of our sins, and all other benefits of his 
passion. Grant that all the children of men may 
be brought near to thee, through the blood of the 
cross. As Christ hath died for all, grant unto all 
the abundance of thy grace, that they which live, 
may not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto 
him who died for them, and rose again, and ever 
liveth to make intercession for them before thy 
throne. 

Look with pity, God, upon those who are 
bowed down under a sense of their sins, and are 
weary and heavy-laden with the burden of their 
guilt. May they turn unto Jesus, who appeared 
on earth meek and lowly in heart, and learn of 
him. May they take upon them his yoke, which 
is easy, and his burden, which is light, and thus 
find rest to their souls. 



PASSION WEEK. 139 

Extend thy compassion, heavenly Father, to us, 
and to all who call upon thee in the name of thy 
beloved Son. May we never be ashamed of Christ 
and his gospel, nor swerve from thy testimonies, 
through the manifold temptations by which we 
are surrounded. Thou knowest, Lord, the secrets 
of our hearts. Shut not thy merciful ears to our 
prayers ; but spare us, Lord most holy, God 
most mighty, O holy and merciful Saviour, thou 
most worthy Judge eternal, and suffer us not, in 
the midst of our earthly trials, to fall from thee. 
In all our sufferings and afflictions, enable us to 
possess our souls in patience. When thy hand 
lieth heavy upon us, in judgment, or in chastise- 
ment, give us grace to look up to heaven, and by 
faith behold the glory that shall be revealed, and 
submit ourselves to thy righteous dealing. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 

Accept our prayers and supplications, God, 
as well for others as for ourselves. Teach us to 
love one another, as Christ hath loved us ; to bear 
each others' burden; and so to fulfill the law 
of Christ, who came not to be ministered unto, 
but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for 
many. Give us grace also to love our enemies, 
and from our heart to forgive every one his tres- 
passes against us, that we may hope to be for- 
given of our heavenly Father, for Jesus Christ's 
sake. Amen. 

The grace, &c. 



140 PASSION WEEK. 

GOOD FRIDAY" MORNING. 

Son of God, we beseech thee to hear us. O 
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the 
world, grant us thy peace. O Lamb of God, who 
takest away the sins of the world, have mercy 
upon us. Christ, hear us. Lord, have mercy 
upon us. Christ, have mercy upon us. 

Our Father, &c. 

Lord, deal not with us according to our sins ; 
neither reward us according to our iniquities. But 
look graciously upon us, and behold with pity the 
sorrows of our hearts. Favorably with mercy 
hear our prayers, and forgive the sins of thy peo- 
ple. Spare us, good Lord ; spare thy people, for 
whom thy precious blood was poured out upon 
the cross. By the mystery of thy holy incarna- 
tion ; by thy holy nativity and circumcision ; by 
thy baptism, fasting, and temptation; by thine 
agony and bloody sweat ; by thy cross and passion ; 
and by thy precious death and burial ; good Lord 
deliver us. 

We sinners do beseech thee to hear us, at all 
times, and especially on this memorable day. 
And, blessed Lord, when we see thee, betrayed 
and given up into the hands of wicked men, to 
suffer death upon the cross, for our redemption : 
When we see thee, mocked, and scourged, and 
spit upon, and crowned with thorns, and dragged 
away to crucifixion : When we behold thee, thus 
bearing our sins in thine own body on the tree : 



PASSION WEEK 141 

May we feel and realize the exceeding sinfulness 
of sin ; and shun and abhor all those evil appetites 
and passions, which crucify thee afresh, and put 
thee and thy cause to open shame. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 

O merciful God, who hast made all men, and 
hatest nothing that thou hast made, nor desirest 
the death of a sinner, but rather that he should be 
converted and live, have mercy upon a world lying 
in darkness and the shadow of death. May the 
fountain which, as on this day, was opened for 
sin and for uncleanness, send forth its healing 
streams into all lands. Look with pity, O Grod, 
upon the descendants of thine ancient people, 
Israel, whose forefathers shed the innocent blood 
of thy dear Son. Let it no longer rest upon them 
and upon their children ; but take from them all 
hardness of heart and unbelief. Give them eyes 
to see, and ears to hear, and hearts to understand. 
Pour down upon them the spirit of grace and sup- 
plication, that they may look upon him whom 
they have pierced, and weep for themselves and 
for their children, and be saved at last among the 
remnant of the true Israelites. Be merciful also 
to those who are living in unbelief, and denying 
the Lord that bought them ; and to all those who, 
through ignorance or superstition, are bowing- 
down to idols, or worshipping an unknown God. 
Take from them, Lord, all ignorance, hardness 
of heart, and contempt of thy word ; and at last 
bring them home to thy flock, that they may bo 



142 PASSION WEEK. 

gathered into one fold, under one Shepherd, Jesus 
Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with the 
Father, and the Holy Spirit, one God, world with- 
out end. Amen. 



GOOD FRIDAY EVENING. 

Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, 
that takest away the sins of the world, have mercy 
upon us. Thou that takest away the sins of the 
world, receive our prayers. Thou that sittest at 
the right hand of God the Father, have mercy 
upon us. Though thou art the King of Glory, O 
Christ; though thou art the everlasting Son of 
the Father ; yet, for our deliverance from the 
bondage of sin and death, thou didst humble thy- 
self to come into the world as the lowly seed of a 
woman, and to offer thy body as a sacrifice on the 
cross ; and when thou hadst overcome the sharp- 
ness of death, thou didst open the kingdom of 
heaven to all believers. Lord, let thy mercy 
be upon us ; and let those that trust in thee never 
be confounded. 

We praise thee, God, we bless thee, we wor- 
ship thee, we glorify thee, we give thanks to thee 
for thy great goodness, as manifested unto us in 
the work of redemption. We bless thee for thy 
great mercy in again permitting us to commemo- 
rate the dying love of our Saviour, in the solemn 



PASSION WEEK. 143 

offices of thy sanctuary. We bless thee for that 
ministry of reconciliation, by which repentance 
and remission of sins are proclaimed to lost and 
helpless sinners. We rejoice that we are encour- 
aged, through the preaching of thy blessed gospel, 
to confess our sins, to renew our repentance, and 
to call upon thee, the Lord our God, for pardon 
and forgiveness. Grant us, with all thy other 
mercies, the constant aids of thy holy Spirit; and 
so apply the lessons which we have heard this day, 
to our hearts, that every hurtful passion may be 
subdued, and every sinful practice renounced; 
and that we may, ever hereafter, obey thy godly 
motions in righteousness and true holiness. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 

O God, we now commit ourselves to thy gra- 
cious care and protection for this night. Defend 
us, and all who are near and dear to us in the va- 
rious relations of life, from every danger and 
mischief, and from all fear and anxiety. Grant 
us such rest and refreshment as may fit us for the 
several duties which thou mayest require of us* 
And keep us mindful, heavenly Father, as we pass 
on from day to day, that the time is short, and 
that we must soon follow our blessed Saviour 
through the grave and gate of death ; that our 
frail bodies must soon be laid down in the dust, 
and that our immortal spirits must return to God 
who gave them. And grant us grace always to 
live in such a state of preparation that Ave may 
never be afraid to die. May our flesh rest in hope : 



144 PASSION WEEK. 

so that at last, through the cross and passion of 
thy dear Son, we may be brought unto the glory 
of his resurrection, and to the joys of thy heavenly 
kingdom. 

We ask for all, in the name and through the 
merits of the same, Jesus Christ our Lord, in 
whose all-prevailing words we sum up these our 
petitions : — 

Our Father, &c. 



SATURDAY MORNING. 



Lord God, heavenly Father, early in the 
morning do we flee unto thee. Our souls do wait 
for thee. In thy word is our trust. Lord, what 
is man, that thou so regardest him ? As high as 
the heaven is, in comparison of the earth, so great 
is thy mercy towards them that fear thee : As far 
also as the east is from the west, so far hast thou 
removed our sins from us. But, God, we con- 
fess our unworthiness and acknowledge our frailty. 
We are but dust. Thou hast made our days as it 
were a span long, and our age is even as nothing 
in respect of thee ; and verily every man living is 
altogether vanity. At thy word all our days are 
gone : They come to an end, as it were a tale that 
is told. The grave must receive us: We must lie 
down in a place of darkness. But, God, accord- 
ing to thy promise, thou wilt show wonders among 



PASSION WEEK. 145 

the dead ; and they shall rise up again and praise 
thee. Thy loving-kindness shall be shown in the 
grave ; and thy faithfulness in destruction. Thy 
marvelous works shall be known in the dark ; and 
thy righteousness in the land where all things are 
forgotten. Thou hast redeemed us ; and thou 
canst restore us. Thou shalt show us the path of 
life : In thy presence is the fullness of joy, and at 
thy right hand there is pleasure forevermore. 

Grant, Lord, that as we are baptized into the 
death of thy beloved Son Jesus Christ, and as he 
was raised from the dead, even so we also may be 
raised from the death of sin, and walk in newness 
of life. Being planted together in the likeness of 
his death, may we also be made in the likeness of 
his resurrection. May our old man be crucified 
with him, that the body of sin may be destroj^ed, 
and that henceforth we may not serve sin. If we 
be dead with Christ, give us faith to believe that 
we shall also live with him ; knowing that Christ, 
being raised from the dead, dieth no more ; that 
death hath no more dominion over him. For in 
that he died, he died unto sin once ; but in that he 
liveth, he liveth unto God. May we also ourselves 
be dead unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus 
Christ our Lord. May sin have no more dominion 
over us : But being made free from sin and be- 
come servants to God, may we have our fruit unto 
holiness, and the end everlasting life. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 

Grant us grace, heavenly Father, to live this 
13 



146 PASSION WEEK. 

day in thy glory. In willing obedience to thy 
commandments; in patient and humble resigna- 
tion to thy will ; in unreserved confidence in 
thy justice, goodness, and wisdom; and under a 
grateful sense of all thy mercies; enable us to 
serve thee faithfully all the days of our life. We 
pray for our friends, relatives, and benefactors ; 
and for all whom we are bound to remember in 
our prayers. May we all be found at last among 
the happy number whose names are written in the 
book of everlasting remembrance, and who shall 
be thine in that day when thou makest up thy 
jewels, and when thou wilt spare them, as a man 
spareth his own son that serveth him. May we 
so follow the example of our crucified and risen 
Saviour, as to be made partakers of his blessed 
resurrection, through the same Jesus Christ our 
Lord. Amen. 

Our Father, &c. 

The grace, &c. 



SATURDAY EVENING BEFORE EASTER. 

Our Father, &c. 

O Lord Jesus Christ, who hast once suffered for 
our sins, the just for the unjust, to bring us unto 
God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened 
bj the Spirit; and who hast passed into the heav- 
ens, and now sittest at the right hand of the 



PASSION WEEK. 147 

Father ; we look up to thee as our Great High 
Priest, to intercede for us; that our prayers may 
ascend as an acceptable incense ; that we may, in 
humble trust and confidence, approach the throne 
of thy glory ; that we may obtain mercy, and find 
grace to help in time of need. 

And we beseech thee, heavenly Father, for 
thy dear Son's sake, to hear us ; and grant that 
we may henceforth walk in newness of life, that 
we may always bear about in our bodies the dying 
of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus may 
be made manifest in our mortal flesh. May we 
crucify the old man, and utterly abolish the whole 
body of sin. May we find all our corrupt affec- 
tions, all our carnal lusts, all our unholy and 
inordinate desires, mortified, and destroyed, and 
buried in the grave of Jesus. Grant that we may 
be fitted and prepared, through the sanctifying 
influences of thy good Spirit, to welcome the 
dawn of the holy day when our blessed Saviour 
burst the bonds of the grave and triumphed over 
death. Grant that we may be ready, with all the 
faculties of our bodies and our souls, to unite with 
thy holy catholic Church throughout the world, 
in commemorating the glorious resurrection of our 
ascended Lord. 

O, blessed and Eternal Spirit, by whom the 
whole body of the Church is governed and sancti- 
fied, enter into the hearts of all who profess and 
call themselves Christians. Endue the stewards 
of the mysteries of thy gospel with grace, so to 



148 PASSION WEEK. 

preach, the word, and so to minister in holy things, 
that every soul may become a temple of the Holy 
Grhost, and be made a vessel unto honor, sanctified, 
and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto 
every good work. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 

And finally, God, when our probation shall 
be brought to a close, and when we shall be called 
to pass through the grave and gate of death, may 
we depart in peace, and in a comfortable hope of a 
joyful resurrection, through his merits, who died, 
and was buried, and rose again for us, Jesus 
Christ our Lord. Amen. 

To thy mercy and protection, we now commit 
ourselves, with all our friends, relatives, and 
brethren. Bless us, and keep us, and be gracious 
unto us this night and evermore. Amen. 



<£ast*r U CrittitjK 



EASTER SUNDAY-MORNING. 

Our Father, &c. 

Almighty God and heavenly Father, we bless 
thee for thy great goodness in permitting us again 
to behold the return of this sacred day. We 
praise thee for the glorious resurrection of thy 
blessed Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ, whom we 
acknowledge as the very Paschal Lamb foreshad- 
owed in the scriptures, and offered on the cross, as 
a propitiation for the sins of the world ; who, by the 
shedding of his own precious blood, has overcome 
death, and by rising from the grave, is made the 
first fruits of them that sleep, and hast opened 
unto us the gate of everlasting life. 

We confess that we are by nature dead in tres- 
passes and sins, and can not, by our own power, 
raise ourselves to newness of life : But, blessed be 
thy name, that thou hast, of thy abundant mercy, 
begotten us again to a lively hope, through the 
resurrection of Jesus Christ, to an inheritance in- 
corruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away, 
reserved in heaven for all those who are kept by 
thy power through faith unto salvation. 

Give us grace, heavenly Father, so to bewail our 

sinfulness, and so to meditate on thy wondrous 
13* 



150 EASTER TO TRINITY. 

love, that we may find our hearts dead indeed 
unto sin, and alive unto thee, through Jesus 
Christ our Lord. 

We beseech thee, gracious God, to grant us thy 
special blessing this day. May the Spirit of him 
that raised up Jesus from the dead, dwell in us, 
and direct us in all our duties. Eaise our thoughts 
from the things of this world, and fix them upon 
those things which are above, where Christ sitteth 
at thy right hand. 

Since Christ our Passover has been sacrificed 
for us, therefore let us keep the feast : not with the 
old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and 
wickedness ; but with the unleavened bread of 
sincerity and truth. May we fervently join in the 
prayers and praises of thy people in the courts of 
thy sanctuary. And give us grace so to eat the 
flesh of thy dear Son, and to drink his blood, that 
our sinful bodies may be made clean by his body, 
and our souls washed through his most precious 
blood, and that we may evermore dwell in him, 
and he in us. 

Grant also to all those who shall assemble with 
us in thy house of prayer, that they ma} 7 be plen- 
teously endued with thy heavenly grace, and be 
prepared, with meek heart, and due reverence, to 
hear and receive thy holy word, and to be meet 
partakers of thy holy mysteries. 

[Occasional Praj 7 ers, &c] 

Pour down thy Spirit from on high on the 
ministers of thy blessed gospel: And, while they 



EASTER TO TRINITY. 151 

preach Jesus and the resurrection, let thy word, 
in their mouth, be as life from the dead ; that so 
they, who are sleeping in their sins, may awake, 
and arise from the dead, that Christ may give 
them light. 

And now, may the God of peace, who brought 
again from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ, the 
great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood 
of the everlasting covenant, make us perfect in 
every good work to do his will, working in us that 
which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus 
Christ our Lord, to whom be glory forever and 
ever. Amen. 



EASTER SUNDAY-EVENING. 

Our Father, &c. 

Most merciful God and Father, receive, we be- 
seech thee, our hearty thanks for thy great good- 
ness; and especially for the blessings and. mercies 
bestowed upon us this day. We bless thee for the 
preaching of thy word, and for the administration 
of thy holy sacraments. We bless thee for thy 
gracious condescension, in having thy habitation 
among the sons of men, and in dwelling in the 
midst of the assemblies of thy people. Let thy 
blessing rest, we beseech thee, upon those whom 
thou hast called to minister in holy things. Let 
thy priests be clothed with righteousness ; and let 
thy people rejoice in thy salvation. Grant that 



152 EASTER TO TRINITY. 

the words spoken in tlry name, may not be spoken 
in vain. Grant us grace, so to hear and receive 
the godly counsel and instruction of those who are 
set over us in the Lord, that in all our words and 
deeds we may seek thy glory, and the increase of 
thy kingdom. 

We bless thee, heavenly Father, for the revela- 
tion of our Lord Jesus Christ, as the resurrection 
and the life ; and for the gracious declaration, that 
whosoever liveth and believeth in him, shall never 
die. Grant us grace to humble ourselves before 
thee, knowing that thou art able to exalt us in 
due time. May we follow the example of thy 
dearly beloved Son, in patience, meekness, and 
humility. And as he died and rose again for us, 
so may we, who are baptized into his death, die 
from sin, and rise again unto righteousness, con- 
tinually mortifying all our evil and corrupt affec- 
tions, and daily proceeding in all virtue and god- 
liness of living. 

We commend to thy rich mercies in Christ 
Jesus, all the nations that are sitting in darkness 
and in the shadow of death. May the Son of 
Eighteousness rise upon them, and the light of the 
everlasting gospel shine into their hearts, to give 
them the knowledge of the glory of God in the 
face of Jesus Christ. 

Have mercy on the house of Israel, and teach 
them by thy Spirit, to know, that thou hast made 
that same Jesus, whom their forefathers crucified, 
both Lord and Christ. 



EASTER TO TRINITY. 153 

Awaken the impenitent to a sense of their 
danger, by putting them in remembrance, that 
thou hast appointed a day in which thou wilt 
judge the world in righteousness, by him whom 
thou hast ordained, whereof thou hast given assur- 
ance unto all men, in that thou hast raised him 
from the dead. 

Comfort those who are in affliction for the loss 
of friends, departed this life in thy faith and fear. 
Teach them to sorrow not for those who sleep in 
thee, even as others who have no hope ; believing, 
that if Jesus died and rose again, even so them 
also which sleep in Jesus, will God bring with him. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 

And now, God, we commit ourselves, and all 
who are near and dear to us, to thy holy care and 
keeping. Let us go to our rest in humble trust 
and confidence in thy unfailing mercy. And let 
us remember, as we close our eyes in sleep, that 
the hour is coming in the which all that are in 
the graves shall hear the voice of the Son of man, 
and shall come forth, they that have done good, 
to the resurrection of life, and they that have done 
evil, to the resurrection of condemnation. And 
may we be so prepared by thy grace, for tins 
event, that when our mortal bodies shall be com- 
mitted to the ground, they may rest in sure and 
certain hope of a joyful resurrection to eternal 
life; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, 
with, thee, Father, and the Holy Ghost, be all 
honor and tflorv, world without end. Amen. 



154 EASTER TO TRINITY. 



SUNDAY MORNING. 



Our Father, &c. 

Eternal God, thou art mighty in power, and 
incomprehensible in majesty : The heaven of 
heavens can not contain thee ; much less the walls 
of temples made with hands : And yet thou hast 
been graciously pleased to promise thy special 
presence in every place where two or three of thy 
faithful servants shall assemble together in thy 
name, to offer up their praises and supplications 
unto thee. Vouchsafe, Lord, according to this 
promise, to be present with us, and with all others, 
who may meet this clay, to worship and glorify 
thee in thy holy sanctuary. Eegard, we beseech 
thee, the services of thy servants ; and grant thy 
renewing grace to all those who may draw near 
to thee, to give thanks for the benefits which they 
have received at thy hands, to set forth thy most 
worthy praise, to hear thy most holy word, to con- 
fess their sins, and to ask such things as are re- 
quisite and necessary, as well for the body as the 
soul. Endue them with such steadiness of faith, 
and with such holy affections, that their devotions 
may ascend up as acceptable incense to thy throne. 
And be pleased, gracious God, to grant unto 
them whatsoever, in thine infinite wisdom thou 
shalt deem most expedient for them. 

Almighty God, who, by thy Holy Spirit, hast 
appointed divers ministers in thy Church, merci- 
fully behold thy servants, who are called to the 



EASTER TO TRINITY. 155 

several ranks of this holy office ; and so replen- 
ish them with the truth of thy doctrine, and 
adorn them with innocency of life, that both by 
word and deed, they may faithfully serve thee, to 
the glory of thy name, and the edification of thy 
people. We beseech thee especially, to send 
down thy blessing upon those who shall stand up 
this day in thy courts to serve thee ; and so en- 
due them with thy Holy Spirit, that they may 
faithfully preach thy word, earnestly reproving, 
beseeching, and rebuking, with all patience and 
perseverance ; and may also, by their life and 
conversation, be a wholesome example to thy flock, 
in all Christian virtue, and finally fulfill their 
course with joy, and at the later day receive a 
crown of righteousness. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 

Give us true repentance, and pardon all our past 
sins, negligences and infirmities. Make this a 
day of grace and consolation to our souls. Guide 
and direct our private meditations. Give us grace 
to examine our hearts ; to consider our ways ; to 
search thy holy word ; to reflect on the wonders 
of thy love ; and above all, to seek thy face in 
secret, and to prepare ourselves for thy kingdom. 
AVe ask for all in the name and for the sake of 
Jesus Christ our Lord. 

The srace, &c. 



156 EASTER TO TRINITY. 



SUNDAY EVENING. 



Lord our God, we are not worthy to present 
ourselves before thee. We are compassed with 
infirmity, and laden with iniquity. Give us grace, 
we beseech thee, to humble ourselves; to pray 
and seek thy face ; and to turn from our wicked 
ways ; that thou mayest, according to thy graci- 
ous promise, bow down thine ear and hear our 
supplications, and forgive us all our sins. Pre- 
pare our hearts especially for this our evening 
sacrifice of pra}^er and thanksgiving ; and merci- 
fully grant our petitions, not for our own deserv- 
ings, but for the worthiness of thy blessed Son, 
our Saviour Jesus Christ. 

Accept our hearty thanks, God, for the gospel 
privileges which we have been permitted to enjoy 
this day ; and for every mercy, both temporal and 
spiritual, which thou hast been graciously pleased 
to bestow upon us. Not unto us, but unto thy 
name, be all the blessing and praise. To thee be 
ascribed all the honor and glory of every good 
and acceptable word which we have spoken, of 
every righteous deed which we have performed, 
and of every holy thought which we have con- 
ceived. 

[Occasional Pra3^ers, &c] 

We intercede with thee, heavenly Father, for 
all the children of men. Look with mercy upon 
thy holy Church universal, which thou hast pur- 
chased to thyself with the precious blood of thy 



EASTER TO TRINITY. 157 

dear Son. And to those whom thou hast called 
to minister in any holy office, give thy grace and 
heavenly benediction ; that both by their life and 
doctrine, they may set forth thy glory, and pro- 
mote the salvation of their fellow-men. 

Have pity upon those who have disregarded 
or profaned this sacred day, by absenting them- 
selves from thy house of prayer, or by closing 
their ears, or hardening their hearts, against the 
teachings of thy holy word. Give them repent- 
ance and a better mind. May they no longer 
grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by their negli- 
gence and unbelief. May they seek thee while 
thou mayest be found, and call upon thee while 
thou art near. May the wicked forsake his way, 
and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and return 
unto thee, that thou mayest have mercy upon 
him, and abundantly pardon him. 

Be thou gracious and merciful, heavenly Father, 
to all those who, through sickness, or infirmity, or 
other providential necessity, have been deprived 
of the comforts of thy public worship, and who 
have communed with thee in their chamber and 
in their closet, and sought thee in secret. Show 
them the light of thy countenance; and cause 
them to know experimentally, that he who seeth 
in secret, will reward them openly. Grant this, 
we beseech thee, for the sake of Jesus Christ our 
Lord. 

Our Father, &c. 

Unto God's gracious care and protection, we 

14 



158 EASTEIS TO TRINITY. 

now commit ourselves, and all our relatives, 
friends, and brethren, for this night. The Lord 
bless us and keep us. The Lord make his face to 
shine upon us, and be merciful unto us. The 
Lord lift up his countenance upon us, and give us 
peace, both now and evermore. Amen. 



MONDAY MORNING. 



Almighty God, our heavenly Father, who hast 
given thine only Son Jesus Christ to die for our 
sins, and to rise again for our justification ; fill our 
hearts, we beseech thee, with gratitude and love, 
and our lips with praises. Let us magnify thy 
name for all thy goodness, and remember the 
wonders that thou hast done to the children of 
men. Let us offer unto thee the sacrifice of 
thanksgiving, and speak of all thy works with 
gladness. 

Cleanse our hearts, O God, from all evil and 
wickedness, that we may offer unto thee a pure 
and acceptable service. Give us that peace which 
thy blessed Son came into the world to proclaim. 
Pour into our hearts that spirit of adoption, which 
may bear witness with our spirit, that we are 
children of God, and joint heirs with Christ, in 
the glories of his heavenly kingdom. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 

Enable us by thy grace to overcome all the 



EASTER TO TRINITY. 159 

temptations of the world, to renounce its pomps 
and vanities, to withstand its allurements, and to 
disregard its frowns. And grant that we, being 
regenerate, and made thy children by adoption 
and grace, may daily be renewed by thy Holy 
Spirit. Grant that the instructive lessons of the 
past day, may not pass away in forgetful n ess, like 
the morning cloud or the early dew : But revive 
and strengthen our holy thoughts and desires, and 
subdue the passions and propensities of our evil 
hearts. Preserve us from pride and envy ; from 
hatred and malice ; from murmurings and dispu- 
tings; from covetousness and dishonest}^; from 
selfishness and idleness ; from unchristian tempers 
and impure desires ; and from all hurtful lusts 
that war against the soul. Pardon and correct 
whatever is sinful in us ; strengthen what is 
weak ; confirm what is wavering ; supply what is 
wanting ; and make us thoroughly furnished unto 
every good word and work. 

But without thee we can do nothing. Be with 
us, therefore, this da}^, and in all the future scenes 
of life. Assist us, in all our doings, with thy 
most gracious favor, and further us with thy con- 
tinual help; make us steadfast and immovable, 
always abounding in the work of the Lord, know- 
ing that our labor shall not be in vain in the 
Lord. And when the days of our pilgrimage 
shall come to an end, and when our mortal bodies 
shall put on immortality, may we realize the saying 
that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory! 



160 EASTER TO TRINITY. 

And for this, and every other mercy, may we 
ascribe all the glory and honor to Grod, who giveth 
us the victory, through Jesus Christ our Lord. 
Amen. 

Our Father, &c. 

The grace, &c. 



MONDAY EVENING 



Our Father, &c. 

Most merciful God and heavenly Father, we 
thank thee for thy protection and preservation 
through another day, and for the great mercies, 
and benefits which thou hast bestowed upon us. 
We acknowledge thy over-ruling providence. By 
thy word were the heavens made, and all the host 
of them by the breath of thy mouth. Thou hast 
also laid the foundations of the earth, and daily 
providest for the wants of all thy creatures. Thou 
openest thy hand, and fillest all things living with 
plenteousness ; and thou upholdest the whole 
world, and all that therein is, by thy mighty 
power. Thou coverest the heavens with clouds, 
and preparest rain for the earth. Thou makest 
the grass to grow upon the mountains, and givest 
food to the beasts of the field, and the young 
ravens that cry unto thee. Without thee, not 
even a sparrow falleth on the ground, and the 
very hairs of our head are all numbered. 



EASTER TO TRINITY. 161 

We confess, merciful God, that we have for- 
feited, by our manifold transgressions, every claim 
to thy fatherly protection in the present life ; and 
have rendered ourselves unworthy of the blessings 
of the life to come. But, guilty and unworthy as 
we are, we would still look up to thee in the 
name of that blessed Mediator, whom thou hast 
given to be unto us both a sacrifice for sin, and 
also an example of godly life; beseeching thee 
through his all-prevailing merits, to permit us to 
come into thy presence, and to ask for everything 
that is necessary, as well for the body as the soul. 

Hearken, O Lord our God, unto our prayers. 

Enter not into judgment with thy servants. Have 

mercy upon us, according to thy loving kindness; 

according to the multitude of thy tender mercies, 

blot out our transgressions. Wash us thoroughly 

from our iniquity, and cleanse us from all our sin. 

Pardon our want of love to thee, and our many 

offences against our fellow-men. Pour into our 

hearts that most excellent gift of charity, the very 

bond of peace, and of all virtues ; without which 

whosoever liveth is counted dead before thee. 

Endue us with that spirit which thinketh no evil, 

which beareth all things, believeth all things, 

hopeth all things, endureth all things. Give us 

grace to come before thee with clean hands and a 

pure heart, that our prayers may ascend to thy 

throne as an acceptable offering, and be received 

and answered, for the sake of thy dear Son, elesus 

Christ our Lord. 

14* 



162 EASTER TO TRINITY. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c.] 

And now, Lord, before we lie down and take 
our rest, suffer us to commend, not only ourselves, 
but all others, to thy covenanted mercies in Christ 
Jesus. Shed thy blessings abundantly upon all 
our friends and relatives. Take us and them 
under thy fatherly protection; and bless and 
keep us, this night and forevermore, through 
Jesus Christ, our blessed Lord and Saviour, to 
whom, with thee, O Father, and the Holy Ghost, 
be honor and glory, world without end. Amen. 



TUESDAY MORNING. 



Almighty God, whose mercies are renewed 
to us day by day, early will we come before thee ; 
every morning will we give thanks to thee, and 
acknowledge thy goodness and loving kindness. 
But how shall we approach thy mercy seat ; or 
what shall we render unto thee for all the benefits 
which thou hast done unto us ? To love and 
serve thee, with all the heart, and soul, and mind, 
and strength, is our reasonable service and bounden 
duty. But our best services, through the weakness 
of our mortal nature, are full of imperfection. 
When we have done all, we are unprofitable ser- 
vants. We look for acceptance, only through the 
merits of that blessed Saviour, in whose all-pre- 
vailing name alone we are permitted to approach 



EASTER TO TRINITY. 163 

thee, even with the voice of praise and thanks- 
giving. 

Let us meditate, with humble gratitude, on thy 
condescension and grace, in regarding our unwor- 
thy services, and in continuing to us thy daily 
mercies. Teach us to know and feel our exceeding 
sinfulness in thy sight, that we may be filled with 
a due sense of thy forbearance and compassion. 
We acknowledge that we have greatly sinned, 
and done amiss, and dealt wickedly. But, 
Lord, we beseech thee, absolve us from our of- 
fences ; that, through thy bountiful goodness, we 
may be delivered from the bondage of those sins 
which, by our frailty, we have committed. Grant 
that we may truly repent of them before thee, that 
so iniquity may not be our ruin. 

Our eyes are now directed unto thee, from whom 
cometh all our help. Enable us to enter upon 
the various duties of this day, in humble trust and 
confidence in thy over-ruling protection and thy 
renewing grace. Deliver us from carelessness, 
negligence, and spiritual sloth. Make us active 
in the discharge of our respective duties. Help 
us to press forward in the way of life, and so to 
run, that we may obtain the prize of our high 
calling. Give us grace to abound in those good 
works, in which thou hast commanded us to walk; 
and by patient continuance in well-doing, to seek 
for glory, and honor, and immortality; that so, 
by thy mercy, we may, in the end, obtain eternal 
life. 



164 EASTER TO TRINITY. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 

We beseech thee, gracious God, to bless thy 
whole Church, and to order all things for its in- 
crease and prosperity. Sanctify and cleanse it 
from all impurity and error, that it may be holy 
and without blemish, and become a name and 
praise among all the nations of the earth. 

Pour down thy blessing upon the religious, 
civil, and literary institutions of our country. 
Extend to them thy fostering aid, and make them 
instrumental in promoting thy glory, and the good 
of mankind. And grant that our lot may be cast 
among a people fearing thee, and loving righteous- 
ness, and that all who profess thy holy name, may 
truly and faithfully serve thee, in all the various 
duties and relations of life. 

We ask for all, in the name and for the sake of 
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

Our Father, &c. 



TUESDAY EVENING. 



Almighty and everlasting God, dispose our 
hearts, we beseech thee, to close this day with 
serious reflection and fervent prayer. Eeceive 
with favor the supplications of thy servants ; and 
look down upon us in thy wonted pity and com- 
passion ; not in thine anger lest thou bring us to 
nothing. 



EASTER TO TRINITY. 165 

We thank thee for the daily bounties and bless- 
ings which thou givest us to enjoy. Enable us 
to see thy hand, and to acknowledge thy provi- 
dence, in all our concerns ; and, with true devotion 
of heart, to trace up every stream of earthly com- 
fort to the fountain of eternal love. 

We bless thee especially, heavenly Father, for 
the word of revelation; for the light of the ever- 
lasting gospel, and for the redemption of the 
world by the death and passion of our Saviour 
Christ, both God and man ; who did humble him- 
self, even to the death of the cross, for us miserable 
sinners; who lay in darkness and the shadow of 
death, that he might make us the children of God, 
and exalt us unto everlasting life. May we always 
remember the exceeding great love of our Master 
and only Saviour, Jesus Christ, thus dying for us, 
and the innumerable benefits which, by his pre- 
cious blood-shedding, he hath obtained for us. 
And may we give unto thee, as we are most 
bounden, continual thanks ; submitting ourselves 
wholly to thy holy will and pleasure, and study- 
ing to serve thee, in true holiness and righteous- 
ness, all the days of our life. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 

To the care and protection of thy good provi- 
dence, we commend ourselves, and all who are 
near and dear to us, this night. Be thou our 
refuge, and fortress, and house of defence, in 
whom we may trust. May we abide safely under 
thy almighty shadow. May thy truth and faith 



166 EASTER TO TKINITY. 

fulness be our shield and buckler. May no evil 
befall us, nor any plague come nigh our dwelling. 
Be thou our continual ruler and guide : and teach 
us so to pass through things temporal, that we 
finally lose not the things eternal. 

We humbly beseech thee, God, for all sorts 
and conditions of men ; that thou wouldest be 
pleased to make thy ways known unto them, thy 
saving health unto all nations. We pray espe- 
cially for thy holy Church universal ; that it may 
be so guided and governed by thy good Spirit, 
that all who profess and call themselves Christians, 
may be led into the w&y of truth, and hold the 
faith in unity of spirit, in the bond of peace, and 
in righteousness of life. Finally, we commend to 
thy fatherly goodness all those who are am^ ways 
afflicted, or distressed, in mind, body, or estate; 
that it may please thee to comfort and relieve 
them, according to their several necessities ; giving 
them patience under their sufferings, and a happy 
issue out of all their afflictions. All which we 
ask for Jesus Christ's sake ; in whose all-prevailing 
words we sum up these our petitions : — 

Our Father, &c. 



WEDNESDAY MORNING. 

Our Father, &c. 

Almighty God, who hast given unto us the 



EASTER TO TRINITY. 167 

light of thy blessed gospel to guide us, and the 
influences of thy holy Spirit to quicken us, that 
we may turn from the error of our ways, and walk 
in the paths of truth and righteousness ; we be- 
seech thee to grant, that we, and all others who 
are admitted into the fellowship of Christ's reli- 
gion, may avoid those things that are contrary to 
our profession, and follow all such things as are 
agreeable to the same, through Jesus Christ our 
Lord. 

And grant, merciful Father, for his sake that 
we may hereafter live a godly, righteous, and sober 
life. Bless us in all our ways, and whatever we 
do, may we do it heartily as unto thee, with a 
single eye to thy glory, and in humble dependence 
on thy fatherly protection. Enlighten our under- 
standings, control our wills, and sanctify our 
affections. May neither the pleasures, nor the 
cares, nor the honors of this life, turn away our 
thoughts from the life which is to come. Enable 
us faithfully to discharge our several duties to 
thee, and to our fellow-men ; that we may be use- 
ful in our generation among men, and steadfast in 
our covenant with thee. Having had much for- 
given of thee, may we love thee much, and strive 
to please thee in all our ways. And grant that 
nothing may ever separate between us and thee, 
or cause us to grow weary of thy service. But 
may we keep thy covenant forever, and daily 
think upon thy commandments to do them, find- 
ing thy yoke easy, and thy burden light : yea. 



168 EASTER TO TRINITY. 

accounting thy service perfect freedom, and the 
very joy of our heart. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 

Accept our thanksgivings, heavenly Father, for 
every mercy which thou hast vouchsafed to our 
bodies and our souls. Day by day we give thanks 
unto thee, and praise thy name. And we beseech 
thee to embrace, not only ourselves, but all others 
in the arms of thy mercy. Pity and convert the 
wicked. May they no longer make a mock at 
sin ; but learn to tremble at that wrath which 
thou hast revealed against all ungodliness and 
unrighteousness. Give them grace to stand in 
awe of thy judgments, and to sin no more. Bless 
thy faithful people with knowledge and good un- 
derstanding, in the ways of truth and virtue. 
And since many are the afflictions of the right- 
eous, Lord, remember them in all their troubles. 
Grant that every affliction, though not for the 
present joyous, but grievous, may yield the peace- 
able fruits of righteousness to such as are exer- 
cised thereby. 

Assist us mercifully, Lord, in these our sup- 
plications and prayers ; and dispose the way of 
thy servants towards the attainment of everlasting 
salvation ; that, among all the changes and trials 
of this mortal life, we may ever be defended by 
thy most gracious and ready help ; through Jesus 
Christ our Lord ; to whom, with thee, O Father, 
and the Holy Ghost, be all honor and glory, world 
without end. Amen. 



EASTER TO TRINITY. 169 

WEDNESDAY EVENING. 

Almighty God, the Father of our Lord Jesus 
Christ, who desirest not the death of a sinner, but 
rather that he may turn from his wickedness and 
live ; we beseech thee to grant us true repentance 
and thy Holy Spirit, that those things may please 
thee which we do at this present, and that the rest 
of our life hereafter may be pure and holy; so 
that at the last we may come to thy eternal joy. 
For all that is past, we ask thy pardon and for- 
giveness. We are unable, of ourselves, to make 
satisfaction for the least of our transgressions. 
But we flee unto thy cross, Lamb of God, who 
hast made there, by the one oblation of thyself, 
once offered, a full, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice, 
oblation, and satisfaction, for the sins of the whole 
world. And we beseech thee, by thine agony and 
bloody sweat ; by thy cross and passion ; by thy 
precious death and burial ; by thy glorious resur- 
rection and ascension ; and by the coming of the 
Holy Ghost; to deliver us from all our sins, and 
have mercy upon us. 

Accept our thanks, heavenly Father, for the 
various and great blessings which we have already 
received at thy hands. We praise thee for the 
comforts and protection of the past da}'. We 
bless thee for providing for us a place of rest by 
night. Confiding in thy care, we commit our- 
selves to thy holy keeping. And wo beseech 
thee, most mighty God, who art the protector of 

IT) 



170 EASTER TO TRINITY. 

all that trust in thee, without whom nothing is 
strong, nothing is holy, to watch over us, and 
preserve us through the hours of darkness, and, 
if it please thee, to bring us in safety to the begin- 
ning of another day. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 

Extend to our fellow-creatures, God, the 
mercies which we have implored for ourselves. 
Let repentance and remission of sins be preached 
to all nations ; and grant that all the kingdoms of 
the earth may become the kingdoms of our Lord 
and Saviour Jesus Christ. 

Bless the nation in which we live. Endue our 
civil rulers with the graces of thy Holy Spirit ; 
enrich them with thy heavenly gifts; enable them 
to rule in thy fear ; guide them in their counsels ; 
and bring them at last to thy everlasting kingdom. 
Be gracious unto thy Church ; and grant to her 
Bishops and other clergy, and to all the people 
committed to their charge, the healthful spirit of 
thy grace ; and, that they may truly please thee, 
pour upon them the continual dew of thy blessing. 

We commend to thy special care and guidance, 
all parents and heads of families. Give them 
grace to walk in thy waj^s ; to set a bright exam- 
ple of Christian fidelity before their households; 
and to bring up their children in the nurture and 
admonition of the Lord. 

We pray for our dear friends and relatives. 
Let thy fatherly hand be ever over them; let thy 
Holy Spirit be ever with them ; and so lead them 



EASTER TO TRINITY. 171 

in the knowledge and obedience of thy word, that, 
in the end, they may obtain everlasting salvation, 
through Jesus Christ our Lord, in whose perfect 
form of words we conclude our petitions: — 
Our Father, &c. 



THURSDAY MORNING 



O Almighty God, who alone canst order the 
unruly wills and affections of sinful men, grant us 
grace to come before thee at this time, under a 
deep sense of our unworthiness, and in humble 
reliance on thy goodness and compassion. Grant 
that our hearts may be drawn to thy testimonies ; 
that we may love the thing which thou command- 
est, and follow all thy precepts with a willing and 
obedient mind. Let us set our affections on things 
above, and not on things on the earth. May we 
always desire that which thou dost promise ; that 
so, our thoughts may be turned away from the 
vain and unstable enjoyments of this world, and 
that, amid all the changes and trials of life, our 
hearts may be fixed, where true joys alone can bo 
found, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of 
God. 

Enable us, God, from day to day, to call to 
remembrance the solemn vows and promises of 
our baptism. May we look upon the pomps and 
vanities of the world, as hurtful and dangerous 



172 EASTER TO TRINITY. 

snares to our feet. May we subdue and mortify 
all those sinful desires and passions which war 
against the soul. May we remain steadfast in the 
faith which we have professed before thee ; and 
may we obediently keep thy holy will and com- 
mandments, and walk in the same all the days of 
our life. And we humbly beseech thee to grant, 
that we, being dead unto sin, and living unto 
righteousness, and being buried with Christ in his 
death, may crucify the old man, and utterly abol- 
ish the whole body of sin ; and as we are made 
partakers of the death of thy Son, we may also be 
partakers of his resurrection ; so that finally, with 
the residue of thy holy Church, we may be inher- 
itors of thine everlasting kingdom, through Christ 
our Lord. 

[Occasional PrayerSj &c] 

We bless thee, heavenly Father, for thy good- 
ness and mercy, in preserving us through the 
perils and dangers of another night. As thou 
hast kept us from the pestilence that walketh in 
darkness, so may it please thee to save us from 
the arrow that flieth by day, and from the destruc- 
tion that wasteth at noon. Continue to us, we 
beseech thee, all our public and private blessings ; 
and especially the means of grace, and the hope 
of glory set before us in thy gospel. 

Make us humble and grateful in the days of our 
prosperity, and patient and submissive in the time 
of adversity. In whatsoever state thou shalt see 
fit to place us, give us grace therewith to be con- 



EASTER TO TEINITY. 173 

tent. Bestow upon us such things as thou know- 
est to be most needful and profitable for us. Give 
us grace to seek first thy kingdom and righteous- 
ness, and to trust to thy unfailing promise, that 
all other things shall be added unto us. And 
above all, feed us with the bread of life, which 
cometh down from heaven, and which thou givest 
for the life of the world. Lord, evermore give us 
this bread, and nourish us up with it, even unto 
life eternal. 

We ask these blessings, not for ourselves only, 
but for all others who are near and dear to us, for 
the sake, and through the merits of Jesus Christ 
our Lord, ia whose all-prevailing words we sum 
up these our petitions : — 

Our Father, &c. 



THURSDAY EVENING. 



Our Father, &c. 

Almighty and eternal God, thou hast com- 
manded us to worship thee, the Lord our God, 
and thee only to serve ; and we acknowledge that 
this is our reasonable service and our bounden 
duty. But we confess, with shame and sorrow, 
that we have not glorified thee as we ought, nor 
rendered unto thee the honor due unto thy name. 
And we humble ourselves before thee this night, 
beseeching thee to look down upon us in oompas- 
15* 



174 EASTER TO TRINITY. 

sion, and to answer us, not according to our de- 
servings, but according to tl.13 7 great mercies in 
Christ Jesus. 

Give us grace to believe in thee, to fear thee, to 
love thee, with all our heart, and mind, and soul, 
and strength ; to worship thee, to give thanks to 
thee, to put our whole trust in thee, to call upon 
thee, to honor thy holy name and word, and to 
serve thee truly all the days of our life. 

And while we approach thee with the voice of 
prayer and supplication, accept, we beseech thee, 
our hearty thanks for all thy goodness towards us. 
We acknowledge the numberless mercies bestowed 
upon us from day to day ; and we pray thee to 
add to all thy other blessings such a grateful 
sense of thy merciful kindness, as shall lead us to 
love thee more, and to serve thee better. Teach 
us to live in humble dependence on thy promises, 
in cheerful obedience to thy laws, and in a com- 
fortable hope of a blessed immortality. Grant 
that, being received for thine own children by 
adoption, and being incorporated into thy holy 
Church, we may receive the fullness of thy grace, 
and ever remain in the number of thy faithful 
children; and finally, with the residue of thy 
people, may be made partakers of thy heavenly 
kingdom. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 

We implore thy mercy and grace, heavenly 
Father, in behalf of all classes and descriptions of 
men. Look with pity on the nations still lying 



EASTEK TO TRINITY". 175 

in darkness and the shadow of death, who are 
bowing down to idols of wood or stone, which 
their own hands have made. Turn them from 
the error of their ways, and enlighten their minds 
with the beams of the everlasting gospel. Give to 
thy blessed Son, the heathen for his inheritance, 
and the utmost bounds of the creation for his 
possession. 

To those who dwell in Christian lands, and yet 
deny the Lord that bought them ; to those who 
are resting in dangerous heresy or schism, or 
willingly neglecting the great salvation wrought 
out for them through the sacrifice of the cross, 
extend thy forbearance and compassion. Quicken 
them to a sense of their danger, and teach them to 
flee from the wrath to come, while yet a day of 
grace remains, and thou waitest to be merciful 
unto them. 

Have mercy on the afflicted, in mind, bodj<, or 
estate. Go not from them, when trouble is at 
hand and there is none to help them. Be thou 
their continual refuge, and in the multitude of the 
sorrows which they have in their hearts, let thy 
comforts refresh their souls. 

To thy gracious care and protection we com- 
mend ourselves, and all our friends, relatives, and 
brethren, this night, beseeching thee to keep and 
preserve us, for Jesus Christ's sake, to whom, with 
the Father, and the Holy Ghost, be ail honor and 
glory, world without end. Amen. 



176 EASTER TO TRINITY. 

PRIDAY MORNING. 

Lord God, our heavenly Father, from whom 
cometh every good and perfect gift, grant unto 
us, thy unworthy servants, the aid and guidance 
of thy Holy Spirit, that we may come and bow 
down before thee this morning, with humble 
reverence and godly fear ; praising thee for all 
thy goodness, and imploring thee still to spare us, 
and be merciful unto us. 

We bless thee for preserving us through the 
various and changing scenes of our past life ; for 
permitting us again to behold the light of day, 
and for bringing us together in peace and safety, 
the living monuments of thy pardoning mercy 
and providential care. But, above all, we bless 
thee for thy still more marvelous love, in sending 
thy only Son into the world, to redeem us from 
sin and everlasting death. With thine own arm 
thou hast wrought out salvation for us, God, 
our Eedeemer. Our souls bless thee, and all that 
is within us doth bless thy holy name. Thy praise 
shall be ever in our mouths. We will magnify 
thee with the voice of thanksgiving, and exalt thy 
name together. 

But thou requirest us to glorify thee, not only 
with our lips, but in the obedience of a holy life. 
Give us grace thus to render unto thee the hom- 
age which is most justly due. Preserve us from 
unchristian tempers and pursuits, and restrain 
every unholy desire and appetite, that we may go 



EASTEE TO TRINITY. 177 

forth, this day to the discharge of our several 
duties, with thy love shed abroad in our hearts by 
the Holy Ghost. May we walk in thy fear. May 
we honor thee, by uprightness and fidelity in all 
our ways, and evermore serve thee in pureness of 
living and truth, through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 

We intercede with thee, heavenly Father, in 
behalf of those for whom it is our desire and our 
duty to pray. Look with pity and compassion 
upon a world lying in wickedness, and especially 
upon this nation. Give to our civil rulers a due 
sense of their responsibility to thee. Make them 
faithful to the trust committed to them by thy 
providence, and enable them so to live, that, 
finally, they may attain everlasting joy and feli- 
city. And to all thy people give thy heavenly 
grace ; that they may forsake their sins, and sub- 
due their passions, and restrain the violence of 
party strife and animosity ; and so dwell together 
in this life, that in the world to come they may 
have life everlasting. 

Keep thy household, the Church, in continual 
godliness ; that through thy gracious protection, 
it may be free from trouble and adversity, and 
that all its members may be devoutly given to 
serve thee in good works, and to look for glory 
and immortality, through the merits and interces- 
sion of thy dear Son Jesus Christ. 

Our Father, &c. 

The grace, &c. 



178 EASTER TO TRINITY. 

FRIDAY EVENING. 

Our Father, &c. 

Almighty God, whose ears are ever open to the 
petitions of thy humble servants, and who hast 
graciously promised, that whatsoever we ask of 
thee in prayer, believing, we shall receive, merci- 
fully with thy favor look upon us at this time, 
and enable us to draw near to thee in humble 
reverence and godly fear. We lament the cold- 
ness of our hearts ; we confess and bewail our 
daily iniquities. But we beseech thee, gracious 
God, unworthy as we are to approach thee, and 
bowed down as we are with infirmity, to accept 
our imperfect services through the intercession of 
thy dear Son. Grant that our supplications and 
thanksgivings may be sprinkled with his most 
precious blood, which cleanseth from all sin ; and 
so may come up as a memorial before thee, accept- 
able, and well pleasing in thy sight. And pour 
down upon us a more abundant measure of grace 
and supplication, that we ma} T hereafter approach 
thee in fervent prayer, and worship thee in spirit 
and in truth. 

Hear our prayers, O God, for those whom it is 
our duty and our desire to remember at the throne 
of grace ; and especially for all estates of men 
in thy holy Church. Endue with a spirit of 
wisdom and faithfulness, those who are appointed 
to watch over the fold of Christ. Let none of 
them be as hirelings who care not for the sheep. 



EASTEK TO TRINITY. 179 

But raise up pastors according to thy heart, who 
shall seek that which is lost, and bring again that 
which is driven away, and bind up that which is 
broken, and strengthen that which is weak. May 
they take heed to themselves, and to all the flock 
of which the Holy Ghost hath made them over- 
seers, to feed thy Church, which thy blessed Son 
hast purchased with his blood ; that when he, the 
Chief Shepherd, shall appear, they may receive, 
at his hands, a crown of glory that fadeth not 
away. 

And 0, thou blessed Jesus, who didst come to 
seek and to save that which was lost, look with an 
eye of pity upon those who are still as sheep going 
astray, and especially on the lost sheep of the house 
of Israel. Bring them home, merciful Lord, to 
thy flock, that they may be saved with the remnant 
of the true Israelites : And grant that they and 
we, as one fold, under one Shepherd, ma} r learn 
of thee, who art meek and lowly in heart, and 
thus find rest to our souls. Feed us in green pas- 
tures ; and lead us forth beside the waters of com- 
fort. Conduct us to the end of our life, in the 
paths of righteousness. And when we pass through 
the valley of the shadow of death, be thou with 
us, that thy rod and staff may sustain and support 
us, and bring us at last to thy heavenly fold. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 

Grant these and. all our petitions, through the 
merits of Jesus Christ our Saviour, wholiveth and 



180 EASTER TO TRINITY. 

reigneth with thee, Father, in the unity of the 
Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen. 



SATURDAY MORNING- 



Almighty God, our heavenly Father, by whose 
providence the darkness of night is turned to the 
light of day, look down upon us, thy humble ser- 
vants, who are assembled together to praise thee 
for thy goodness, and to implore the continuance 
of thy fatherly protection. Thy daily mercies are 
daily calls to gratitude and obedience. But we 
acknowledge, gracious God, our unworthiness .of 
thy favors, and the coldness of our hearts in the 
midst of thy blessings. Accept our hearty thanks 
for thy patience and forbearance, in bringing us, 
notwithstanding our sins and ingratitude, to the 
beginning of another day. 

We come before thee in the name of Jesus, the 
friend of sinners, and our advocate with thee. For 
his sake, hear and answer all our petitions. For 
his sake, bestow upon us, not only the bounties 
of thy providence, but the richer blessings of thy 
grace. Preserve our frail bodies from daj 7 to day ; 
and, above all, have compassion on our guilty 
souls. Grant unto us pardon and peace, that we 
may be cleansed from all our sins, and ever here- 
after serve thee, in meekness of spirit, and quiet- 
ness of mind. Keep us especially this day by thy 



EASTER TO TRINITY. 181 

mighty power : And grant that our love to thee 
may abound more and more, that we may ap- 
prove and obey thy holy precepts, that we may 
be sincere and without offence, till the day of 
Christ ; being filled with the fruits of righteous- 
ness, which are by him, to the praise of thee our 
God. 

Hear our intercessions, most gracious Father, 
for the whole race of man. Overrule all the 
changes in empires and kingdoms to the advance- 
ment of true religion, and for the promotion of 
thy glory. Extend the kingdom of thy dear Son, 
to the utmost bounds of the earth. Inspire thy 
Church with zeal and constancy, and endue thy 
ministers with wisdom and strength, for the pro- 
pagation of thy holy word, that the tidings of sal- 
vation may be proclaimed among the heathen, and 
that the whole world may be turned unto thee, 
and all kindreds and people may worship before 
thee. Renew thy everlasting covenant with thy 
ancient people Israel, that they may come to the 
knowledge of the truth, and bow the knee to him 
whom their fathers crucified. 

Look with an eye of pity upon this nation. 

We are a sinful people laden with iniquity ; and 

deserve nothing at thy hands but chastisements 

and judgments. But, deal not with us, O God, 

according to our wickedness. Withhold thy hand, 

and spare us, for thy dear Son's sake. Send 

forth throughout our land, a spirit of repentance, 

that we may turn from our evil ways, and amend 
16 



182 EASTER TO TRINITY. 

our doings. Increase among us that righteous- 
ness which exalteth a nation, and save us from 
those sins which are a reproach to any people. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 

We pray for all thy faithful servants, and espe- 
cially for those among our relatives and friends. 
May their names be written in the book of life, 
and found therein in the last day. Hear us, O 
God, for Jesus Christ's sake, in whose form of 
words we sum up these our petitions * — 

Our Father, &c. 



SATURDAY EVENING. 



Almighty God, the Father of mercies, and the 
giver and preserver of all good things, we humbly 
beseech thee, of thy great mercy, to receive and 
accept our thank-offerings. Grant that from the 
abundance of grateful hearts, we may speak thy 
praise ; and that, at the close of every week, we 
may be found growing in all the graces and fruits 
of the Spirit. 

thou who hast given thy Son to die for our 
sins, and to rise again for our justification, grant 
us grace so to put away the leaven of malice and 
wickedness, that we may always serve thee in 
pureness of living and truth ; that at his second 
coming to judge the world in righteousness, we 
may be found an acceptable people in thy sight. 



EASTER TO TRINITY. 183 

Grant unto us forgiveness of all that is past, 
through him who, by thy grace, tasted death for 
every man. For his sake, cleanse us from all our 
defilements, and pardon our manifold sins and 
transgressions ; that, being justified by his blood, 
we may be saved from condemnation, through his 
all-prevailing intercession. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 

To thy tender mercies in Christ Jesus we now 
commit all the members of our household, with 
our dear friends and relatives, whether present or 
absent. Keep and defend us through the dark- 
ness of the night ; and bring us in health and 
peace to the light of another day of rest. And, 
God, prepare our hearts by thy good Spirit, for 
the joys and comforts of thy holy worship, for 
the profitable use of thy written word, and for the 
due improvement of all the means of grace, which 
thou, in thy mercy, hast afforded us. 

We ask thy blessing on all the ministers of thy 
word and ordinances. Prepare them for the 
solemn services of thy sanctuary, and for all the 
duties of their high calling ; that they may preach 
thy truth in love, and minister in holy things, 
with all faithfulness «and diligence. 

And to every member of thy holy universal 
Church, extend thy blessing ; and grant that al] 
who profess and call themselves Christians, may 
be led into the way of truth, and hold the faith in 
unity of spirit, in the bond of peace, and in 
righteousness of life. 



184 EASTER TO TRINITY. 

Bless the means which are employed for the 
extension of thy kingdom throughout the world. 
And let the time draw near, when the whole 
earth shall be filled with thy glory, and when 
every thing that hath breath shall praise the 
Lord. 

We ask for all in the name of Jesus Christ our 
Lord, in whose form of words we conclude our 
petitions : — 

Our Father, &c. 



ASCENSION-DAY-MORNING. 

Our Father, &c. 

O Grod, the King of glory, who hast exalted 
thine only Son, Jesus Christ, with great triumph 
unto thy kingdom in heaven, permit us, we be- 
seech thee, to draw near to thee in his all prevail- 
ing name, knowing that he ever liveth to make 
intercession for us miserable sinners. May this 
great High Priest, who has passed into the heavens, 
ever be our advocate with thee. Accept, we im- 
plore thee, his mediation in our behalf; and when 
thou nearest, have mercy upon us. May our sins, 
though many, be forgiven us, through the riches 
of thy grace. Excite in us that godly sorrow for 
sin, which worketh repentance unto salvation, not 
to be repented of. Give us that living faith which 
worketh by love, purifying the heart, overcoming 



EASTER TO TRINITY. 185 

the world, and bringing forth the abundant fruits 
of righteousness. 

And, thou, who hast ascended up on high, 
and hast led captivity captive, and hast received 
gifts for men, and hast given us apostles, and 
prophets, and evangelists, and pastors, and teach- 
ers, for the perfecting of thy saints, and for the 
edification of thy Church ; grant, we beseech thee, 
to all the ministers and stewards of thy word, the 
abundance of thy grace, that they may evermore 
be ready to spread abroad thy gospel, and to preach 
the glad tidings of salvation ; until all men shall 
come, in the unity of the faith, and of the know- 
ledge of the Son of God, unto the perfect stature 
of the fullness of Christ. 

We bless thee, heavenly Father, for all thy 
various and great mercies ; for the wonderful work 
of redemption ; and for the hope set before us in 
the gospel. We bless thee for the privilege of 
meeting together for prayer and praise, on this 
memorable morning. Give us grace to celebrate, . 
with grateful hearts, the exaltation of thy blessed 
Son to his eternal throne. May our thoughts also 
thither ascend, drawing up our affections and de- 
sires to heavenly things, and fitting and preparing 
us for the final enjoyment of thy presence in the 
mansions of glory. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 

We intercede with thee, gracious God, for all 

who arc near and dear to us. Look with pity 

upon those who have hitherto placed their hopes 
16* 



186 EASTER TO TRINITY. 

and affections on the objects of this world, and 
have neglected the things which belong to their 
eternal peace. Quicken them from the death of 
sin, unto a new and holy life. Make them wise 
unto salvation ; and enable them hereafter to seek 
those things which are above, where Christ sitteth 
at the right hand of God. And to those who have 
known the power of thy word, and have turned 
their hearts from serving the vain idols of this 
world, to serve thee, the living God, give the 
abundance of thy grace. Keep them through 
thine own name from the evils and temptations 
of this present life. Sanctify them through thy 
truth : And grant that, with them and all others 
who shall believe in thy Son Jesus Christ, we may 
have our perfect consummation and bliss in thy 
eternal and everlasting glory, through Jesus Christ 
our Lord, to whom, with thee, Father, and the 
Holy Ghost, be all honor and glory, world with- 
out end. Amen. 



ASCENSION-DAY-EVENING. 

Our Father, &c. 

Almighty, everliving God, whose most dearly 
beloved Son Jesus Christ, before his ascension 
into heaven, didst give commandment to his dis- 
ciples, to go into all the world, and preach the 
gospel to every creature, baptizing them in the 



EASTER TO TRINITY. 187 

name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the 
Holy Ghost ; regard, we beseech thee, the suppli- 
cations with which we close the duties of this day ; 
and grant that all persons who are admitted into 
thy holy Church by baptism, may receive the 
fullness of thy grace, and ever remain in the num- 
ber of thy faithful children. Being^ received into 
the congregation of Christ's flock, and signed with 
the sign of the cross, may they never be ashamed 
to confess the faith of Christ crucified, but man- 
fully fight under his banner, against sin, the world, 
and the devil, and continue Christ's faithful sol- 
diers and servants, unto their life's end. 

Accept our thanks, heavenly Father, for the 
marvelous works which thou hast wrought for the 
sinful children of men. We bless thee for sending 
thine only begotton Son into the world, that who- 
soever believeth in him may not perish, but have 
everlasting life. We praise thee for raising him 
from the grave, and setting him at thine own 
right hand in heavenly places, far above all prin- 
cipality, and power, and might, and dominion, and 
every name that is named, not only in this world, 
but in that which is to come. We rejoice, that 
thou hast put all things under his feet ; that thou 
hast given him to be head over all things to the 
Church, which is his body, the fullness of him that 
filleth all in all; and that thou hast given us 
assurance, that he has ascended to his Father and 
our Father, to his God and our God, to pro} 'are a 
place for those that love him. Grant that we may 



188 EASTER TO TRINITY. 

all be found at last among this happy number. 
We pray thee, God, who art rich in mercy, to 
quicken us who are dead in trespasses and sins, 
and raise us up together, and make us to sit in 
heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Send down thy 
Holy Ghost to comfort us : And finally, exalt us 
to the same place whither our Saviour has gone 
before, that we may be with him where he is, and 
ma} 7 behold his glory, which he had with thee 
before the foundation of the world. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 

Keep us, God, in continual watchfulness- 
Let us remember, that the end of all things is at 
hand ; that the time draws near, when the same 
Jesus who ascended into heaven, will come again 
in glory, to judge the world in righteousness, and 
to minister equitj 7 and justice to all people. Make 
us sober, and faithful, and diligent, in all the 
duties of our Christian calling. Above all, give 
us that fervent charity, which shall cover the 
multitude of sins. Let us use hospitality one to 
another without grudging. As every man hath 
received the gift, even so let us minister the same 
one to another, as good stewards of the manifold 
grace of God ; that God may in all things be glo- 
rified, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

The grace, &c. 



EASTER TO TRINITY. 189 

WHIT-SUNDAY-MORNING. 

Our Father, &c. 

God, merciful Father, we praise thee, we 
bless thee, we worship thee, we glorify thee, we 
give thanks to thee, for all the bounties of thy 
providence and grace ; and especially for thy great 
goodness, in sending down, as at this time, the Holy 
Ghost, the blessed Comforter, to abide with thy 
Church forever, and to direct, sanctify, and govern 
the hearts of thy people. 

We wait this morning at thy footstool for new 
supplies of thy grace, to help our infirmities, to 
purify our thoughts and to endue us with a spirit 
of prayer and supplication. Grant, we beseech 
thee, that thy Holy Spirit may now rest upon us, 
as a Spirit of wisdom and understanding ; a Spirit 
of counsel and strength ; a Spirit of knowledge 
and true godliness ; a Spirit of holy fear and rev- 
erence ; a Spirit of truth, and love, and unity ; a 
Spirit of everlasting consolation : And especially, 
O God, prepare us for the due observance of this 
day. Guide us into all truth. Open our hearts 
to understand and receive thy holy word, and 
enable us to unite, with one heart and one voice, 
in the solemn services of thy temple, and to pour 
out before thee the incense of prayer and praise, in 
the congregation of thy people. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 

blessed Jesus, who, after thou hadst ascended 
up on high, didst shed upon thy holy apostles 



190 EASTER TO TRINITY. 

many excellent gifts, and who hast graciously 
promised to be with the ministers of thy Church 
to the end of the world; we commend to thy 
heavenly grace, all those whom thou hast ap- 
pointed and commanded to feed thy flock. Be 
thou ever present with the successors of thy first 
apostles, the bishops of thy Church, and all other 
pastors who may be duly called to the work of the 
gospel ministry. Make them diligent in preaching 
thy word, and in dispensing thy holy sacraments ; 
that they may teach the truth in love, and admin- 
ister the wholesome discipline of the Church, in thy 
fear, and to thy glory. 

And to all thy people, extend the riches of thy 
grace. Pour out thy Spirit upon all flesh. Send 
out thy light and thy truth to the nations who 
have never heard thy name. Look with ipitj on 
thy ancient people Israel. Give them a new 
heart, and revive a right spirit within them, that 
they may hereafter confess thy name, and keep 
thy statutes, and follow and obey thy ordinances. 
And shed abroad thy spiritual blessings on all the 
Churches of thy saints throughout the world. 
May they be edified bj thy truth; and walking 
in thy fear, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, 
may they enjoy on earth, an earnest and foretaste 
of the jo}^s and consolations of thy Church tri- 
umphant in heaven. 

In thy all-prevailing name, blessed Saviour, 
we offer these our prayers and supplications, 
ascribing to thee, with the Father and the Holy 



EASTER TO TRINITY. 191 

Ghost, equal adoration and praise, now and ever- 
more. Amen. 



WHIT-SITO AY-EVENING. 

Our Father, &c. 

God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 
through whom we have access by one Spirit unto 
thee, hear, we beseech thee, the voice of praise 
and thanksgiving with which we close this day. 
We bless thee for all the benefits bestowed upon 
us, and especially for the spiritual blessings sealed 
to us by the coming of the Holy Ghost. We 
bless thee for thy holy word, for thy ministry and 
ordinances, and for all the means of grace which 
we have been permitted to enjoy this day. 

[Thanksgiving for Communion-Day.] 

We praise thee, God, for opening unto us a 
fountain for sin and for uncleanness, and for puri- 
fying the humble and contrite soul, by the wash- 
ing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy 
Ghost. Make us all partakers of this heavenly 
gift. Grant that all sinful affections may die in 
us, and that all things belonging to the Spirit may 
live and grow in us. 

Give us grace to put off, concerning the form or 
conversation, the old man, which is corrupt, ac- 
cording to the deceitful lusts ; and to put on the 
new man, which, after thy image, is created in 



192 EASTER TO TRIXITY. 

righteousness and true holiness. Cleanse the 
thoughts of our hearts by thy holy inspiration, 
that we may perfectly love thee, and worthily 
magnify thy holy name. By thy special grace 
preventing us, put into our minds good desires, 
and by thy continued help, enable us to bring the 
same to good effect, that Ave, who can not do any 
thing that is good without thee, may by thee be 
enabled to live according to thy will. Grant, we 
beseech thee, that as thou didst teach the hearts 
of thy faithful people, by sending to them the 
light of thy Holy Spirit, so we, by the same 
Spirit, may have a right judgment in all things, 
and may evermore rejoice in his holy comfort. 

Lord God, inasmuch as the manifestation of 
the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal, 
'let none receive his grace in vain. Have compas- 
sion on those who deny his eternal power and 
godhead, and show unto them who are thus in 
error, the light of thy truth, that they may return 
into the way of righteousness. Be merciful unto 
such as profess to believe in him, and jet in works 
deny him, and are doing despite unto his grace. 
Let them no longer grieve that Holy Spirit by 
which they are sealed unto the day of redemption, 
but give them strength ever hereafter to obey his 
godly motions in righteousness and true holi- 
ness. 

Be gracious unto those whom the Holy Ghost 
hath made overseers to feed the Church, and may 
they be faithful dispensers of thy holy word and 



EASTER TO TRINITY. 193 

sacraments, through the grace of our dear Ee- 
deemer, Jesus Christ 

Grod, Holy Grhost, sanctifier of the faithful, 
visit us, we pray thee, as a family and household, 
with thy love and favor. Enlighten our minds 
more and more with the light of the everlasting 
gospel ; graft in our hearts a love of the truth ; 
increase in us true religion ; nourish us with all 
goodness ; and of thy great mercy, keep us stead- 
fast in the faith, blessed Spirit, whom, with the 
Father and the Son together, we worship and 
glorify as one God, world without end. Amen. 
11 



Criititi) to %i)snU 



TRINITY-SUNDAY-MORNING. 

Our Father, &c. 

O God, the Father Almighty, we adore thee as 
the maker of heaven and earth. Thou, Lord, in 
the beginning, hast laid the foundation of the 
earth, and the heavens are the works of thine 
hands : They shall perish, but thou remainest ; 
and they all shall wax old, as doth a garment, and 
as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they 
shall be changed : But thou art the same, and thy 
years shall not fail. And, God, as thou didst 
rest on the seventh day, after the heavens and the 
earth were finished, and all the host of them ; and 
as thou didst bless and sanctify the seventh day, 
that it might be kept holy unto thee ; grant us 
grace, we beseech thee, to rest this day, and to 
worship and serve thee, according to thy com- 
mandment. While we acknowledge thee as our 
Creator, preserver, and benefactor, let us come 
into thy presence with thanksgiving, and into thy 
courts with praise. May we be thankful unto 
thee, and speak good of thy name. 

God the Son, thou Eternal Word, who wast 
in the beginning with the Father ; by whom all 
things were created ; Thou, who wast made flesh 



TRINITY TO ADVENT. 195 

and dwelt among us, whose glory we beheld, the 
glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full 
of grace and truth ; we adore thee, we worship 
thee, we glorify thee. Thou art worthy, Lord, 
to receive glory, and honor, and power ; for thou 
art our Almighty ."Redeemer, deliverer, and ran- 
som. May we seek pardon and forgiveness for all 
our sins through thy all-prevailing mediation and 
intercession ; and may we look to thee, and thy 
merits, for help, and hope, and salvation. 

God the Holy Ghost, thou Eternal Spirit, 
whom with the Father and the Son together, we 
worship and glorify as one God ; we adore thee as 
our Comforter, who came down from heaven to 
help our infirmities, and to guide us into all truth ; 
as the Spirit of grace and supplication, by whom 
we are taught how and for what to pray ; as the 
Spirit of holiness, and the sanctifier of the faith- 
ful; as the quickening and regenerating power 
of God, by whom we are renewed in heart and 
life, and prepared for the kingdom of heaven. 
Visit us, we pray thee, with thy love and favor ; 
enlighten our minds more and more with the light 
of the everlasting gospel ; graft in our hearts the 
love of the truth ; increase in us true religion ; 
nourish us with all goodness ; and of thy great 
mercy keep us in the same all the days of our life. 

holy, blessed, and glorious Trinity, have 
mercy upon us, and keep us steadfast in the faith 
once delivered to the saints. Bless and defend 
thy Church ; and preserve it from all false doc- 



196 TRINITY TO ADVENT. 

trine, heresy, and schism ; that it may continue 
to the end of time, the ground and pillar of the 
truth, and evermore be protected from all adver- 
sity, persecution, and oppression. Make us, and 
all others who profess and call themselves Chris- 
tians, faithful in every duty, and diligent in every 
good work ; and enable us by holiness and purity 
of life, to adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour 
in all things. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 

And now, to thee, Father, and to thee, 
Son, and to thee, O Holy Ghost, the ever blessed 
and glorious Trinity, three persons and one God, 
be rendered and ascribed equal and endless praise, 
now, henceforth, and forever Amen. 



TRINITY-SUN DAT-EYENING. 

Our Father, &c. 

Almighty and everlasting God, we bless thee 
for the manifold and great mercies which thou 
hast bestowed upon us this day. We thank thee 
that thou hast given unto us, thy servants, grace, 
by the confession of a true faith, to acknowledge 
the glory of the eternal Trinity, and in the power 
of the divine Majesty, to worship the Unity. We 
praise thee, God ; we acknowledge thee to be 
the Lord. With all the earth, we worship thee. 
With the glorious company of the apostles ; with 
the goodly fellowship of the prophets; with 



TRINITY TO ADVENT. 197 

the noble army of martyrs, we praise thee. With 
the Holy Church, throughout all the world, we 
acknowledge thee, the Father, of an infinite ma- 
jesty ; thine adorable, true, and only Son ; and 
the Holy Ghost the Comforter. 

May we be of the number of those who, through 
faith, are born of God; and by faith may we 
overcome the world. May we so confess the three 
that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, 
and the Holy Ghost, that the three that bear wit- 
ness in earth, the Spirit, the water, and the blood, 
may bear witness with our spirit, that we are the 
children of Gocl. 

Grant, Lord, that the doctrines and precepts 
which we have heard this day, may prove profit- 
able to our souls. May we reflect, with deep 
humility and abasement, on the majesty, the wis- 
dom, and the justice of thee our God. May we 
seek thy compassion and forgiveness, through the 
all-prevailing intercession of thy dear Son. May 
thy Holy Spirit help our infirmities, and purify 
our hearts, and. sanctify our affections. So may 
we become living temples of God, that the Spirit 
of God may dwell in us forever. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 

And now, God, let us retire to rest with the 
consoling hope, that we have walked this day as 
the children of light, and that our imperfect ser- 
vices have been, in some measure, acceptable unto 
thee. Take us under thy care and protection. 

Keep us through the silent watches of the night. 
F ° 17* 



198 TRINITY TO ADVENT. 

Guard us from every clanger. Preserve us from 
all evil. Give us quiet and refreshing sleep, and, 
if it please thee, bring us, in health and peace, to 
the beginning of another day, fitted and prepared 
for all the various duties of life. Grant us grace 
to be faithful to every trust committed to us, dili- 
gent in our several callings, and submissive to all 
thy righteous dealings. May we do justly, and 
love mercy, and walk humbly with thee our God. 

Have pity, O merciful Father, upon those who 
lie down this night in sorrow, pain, or sickness. 
Be thou present with them in all their troubles; 
show them the light of thy countenance ; sustain 
them with thy heavenly consolations ; and in thine 
own good time deliver them from every danger, 
and make them partakers of all thy mercies in 
Christ Jesus. 

We commend to thy mercy and grace, all our 
relations and friends. And may the grace of our 
Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the 
fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with them, and 
with us all, this night and forevermore. Amen, 



SUNDAY MORNING. 



Our Father, &c. 

O Lord, our heavenly Father, Almighty and 
everlasting God, who hast safely brought us to 
the beginning of this dav we bless thee for this 



TEINITY TO ADVENT. 199 

and every other manifestation of thy goodness and 
loving kindness. Day by clay we magnify thee, 
and worship thy holy name. Unto thee, God, 
all hearts are open. Unto thee all desires are 
known : And from thee no secrets are hid. Cleanse 
the thoughts of our hearts, by the inspiration of 
thy Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love thee, 
and devoutly offer unto thee our morning sacrifice 
of praise and thanksgiving. 

Vouchsafe, Lord, to keep us this day without 
sin. Direct, sanctify, and govern, both our hearts 
and bodies, in the ways of thy laws, and in the 
works of thy commandments. Give us grace 
diligently to search the scriptures, and make thy 
word a lamp unto our feet, and a light unto our 
paths. Guide us in our private meditations, and 
give us understanding, that we may know thy 
testimonies, that in all our works, begun, continued, 
and ended in thee, we may glorify thy holy name, 
and finally, by thy mercy, obtain everlasting life. 

O Merciful God, show unto us this day the light 
of thy countenance, in the public services of thy 
sanctuary, Permit us to assemble together in thy 
holy temple, to render thanks for the great bene- 
fits that we have received at thy hands ; to set 
forth thy most worthy praise ; to hear thy most 
holy word; and to ask those things which are 
requisite and necessary, as well for the body as 
the soul. Grant us grace to acknowledge and 
confess our manifold sins and wickedness; that 
we may not dissemble nor cloak thorn bo tore thy 



200 TRINITY TO ADVENT. 

face; but confess them, with an humble, lowly, 
penitent, and obedient heart, to the end that we 
may obtain forgiveness of the same, by thine 
infinite goodness and mercy. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 

Almighty God, from whom cometh every good 
and perfect gift, and who by thy Holy Spirit, hast 
appointed divers orders of ministers in thy Church, 
send down the abundance of thy grace upon those 
who are called to dispense thy word and or- 
dinances; and so replenish them with the truth 
of thy doctrine, and adorn them with purity of 
life, that both by word and good example, they 
may faithfully serve thee in their several stations, 
to the glory of thy name, and the edification of 
thy Church. And bestow thy blessing, God, 
on all the congregations of thy people, that they 
may be so joined together in unity of spirit, and 
in the bond of peace, that they may be an 
holy temple, acceptable unto thee. We especially 
commend to thy grace, the congregation with 
whom we may worship this day. Grant that, 
with one heart, they may desire the prosperity of 
thy holy Apostolic Church, and with one mouth 
may profess the faith once delivered to the saints. 
Defend them from the sins of heresy and schism : 
let not the foot of pride come nigh to hurt them, 
nor the hand of the ungodly to cast them down. 
May the course of this world be so peaceably 
ordered by thy governance, that the Church may 
joyfully serve thee in all godly quietness ; and 



TRINITY TO ADVENT. 201 

may all who are called Christians, walk in the 
ways of truth and peace, and at last be numbered 
with thy saints in glory everlasting, through thy 
merits, blessed Jesus, thou gracious Bishop and 
Shepherd of our souls, who art, with the Father 
and the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. 
Amen. 



SUNDAY EVENING. 



Our Father, &c. 

Almighty God, Father of all mercies, we, thine 
unworthy servants, desire to humble ourselves 
before thee. We acknowledge thy great goodness. 
We thank thee for the various and multiplied 
blessings, which thou hast bestowed upon us this 
clay. We adore thee as our Creator, our pre- 
server, and our benefactor. Above all, we bless 
thee for the gift of thy Son Jesus Christ, and the 
redemption of the world, by his meritorious sacri- 
fice and atonement. We bless thee for thine 
inestimable love, in opening a way of access to 
thy throne, through his all-prevailing mediation 
and intercession; for thy instituted means of 
grace ; and for the blessed hope of life and immor- 
tality, brought to light in thy gospel. Give us, O 
God, a deep and affecting sense of all thy mercies : 
that out of the abundance of our hearts, our lips 
may speak tin praise. May we be enabled, 



202 TRINITY TO ADVENT. 

through thy grace, to give ourselves up to thy 
service, and walk before thee in holiness and 
righteousness all our days. 

Grant, Lord, that the words which we have 
read or heard this da} T , may sink into our hearts, 
purifying our minds, enlightening our understand- 
ing, and sanctifying our affections. May they 
bring forth in us the fruit of good and holy living, 
and fit and prepare us for the enjoyment of thy 
heavenly kingdom. And, as thou hast promised 
to hear the petitions of those who ask in thy 
Son's name, we beseech thee mercifully to incline 
thine ears to us, who have drawn near to thee in 
prayer and supplication ; and grant that those 
things which have been faithfully asked according 
to thy will, may effectually be obtained, to the 
relief of our necessit}^, and the setting forth of thy 
glory. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 

We ask thy blessing, heavenly Father, in be- 
half of those who have this day been deprived 
through thy providence, of the privileges of thy 
public worship, and the ordinances of thy Church. 
O thou, who seest in secret, and hast graciously 
promised openly to reward those who pray to 
thee in secret, grant that through the refreshing 
visitations of thy Spirit, every devout soul may 
be comforted and satisfied ; and that in every 
place, the incense offered to thy name may ascend 
to thy throne as a pure offering, and be always 
acceptable in thy sight. 



TRINITY TO ADVENT. 203 

"We intercede with thee, merciful God, for those 
who have willingly abstained from the services of 
thy house, and neglected the duties of this holy 
day ; and for those who have profaned thy Sab- 
bath, by forbidden indigencies, or vain recrea- 
tions, or worldly occupations. Father, forgive 
them all that is past ; and take from them their 
evil heart of unbelief, lest they be hardened by 
the deceitfulness of sin, and forfeit forever the 
eternal rest that remaineth to the people of God. 

And now, heavenly Father, we commit our- 
selves, and all our relatives, friends, and brethren, 
to thy holy care and keeping, this night and for- 
evermore; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to 
whom, with thee, and the Holy Ghost, be all 
honor and glory, world without end. Amen. 



MONDAY MORNING. 



Our Father, &c. 

Almighty and everlasting God, in whom we 
live and move, and have our being ; we acknow- 
ledge our daily dependence upon thee. We thank 
tli eo for all thy mercies ; and especially for thy 
providential care and preservation, from the begin- 
ning of our lives to this day. We thank thee for, 
thy goodness, in watching over us during the 
darkness of the night; in protecting us from evil ; 
and in permitting us again to behold the morning 



204 TRINITY TO ADVENT. 

light. Accept, heavenly Father, this our grateful 
sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving ; and enable 
us to approach thy throne with humble reverence 
and godly fear ; feeling our necessities ; confessing 
our sins and unworthiness ; and seeking pardon 
and forgiveness, through the merits of thy beloved 
Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord. 

Give us grace, merciful God, to dedicate both 
our souls and bodies to thee and thy service, in a 
sober, righteous, and godly life ; and in pity and 
compassion to the weakness and corruption of our 
nature, we beseech thee to help our infirmities, 
and strengthen our resolutions. Thou knowest 
whereof we are made ; thou rememberest that we 
are but dust. As a father pitieth his own chil- 
dren, even so be thou merciful unto us. Grant 
us the constant assistance of thy Holy Spirit ; that 
-we may be effectually restrained from sin, and 
excited to our duty. Imprint upon our hearts 
such a dread of thy justice, and such a grateful 
sense of thy goodness, as may make us both afraid 
and ashamed to offend thee. Keep in our minds 
a lively remembrance of that great day, in which 
every thought, and word, and deed, will be judged 
in righteousness; when those that sleep in the 
dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting 
life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt, 
Prepare us, O God, for this final account. Purify 
our hearts, and direct us in all our ways. As we 
approach nearer and nearer to the eternal world, 
make us more diligent, and watchful, and circum- 



TKINTTY TO ADVENT. 205 

spect. Keep us this clay from all evil ; and de- 
fend ns from clanger and adversity. Guard us in 
the hour of temptation, restrain our passions, reg- 
ulate our desires, and preserve us especially from 
the sins which most easily beset us. Grant us 
patience and resignation, if thou shalt see fit to 
visit us with affliction or calamity ; and in whatso- 
ever state or condition it may please thee to place 
us, grant us grace therewith to be content. Make 
us just and upright in all our dealings ; kind and 
compassionate to our neighbors ; quiet and peace- 
able in all the relations of life ; faithful to every 
trust committed to us ; and ready to do good to all 
men, according to our abilities and opportunities. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 

Heavenly Father, receive with favor this our 
morning oblation, and grant our petitions, not for 
our own deservings, but for the sake, and through 
the merits of Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord. 
Amen. 

The grace, &c. 



MONDAY EVENING. 



Our Father, &c. 

Almighty and merciful God, who art of purer 
eyes than to behold iniquity, and in whose sight 
the heavens are not clean, we conic before thee in 
an humbL ■ qi >f oui unworthiness, beseeching 

18 



206 TRINITY TO ADVENT. 

thee to look clown upon us in thy wonted pity 
and compassion. Thou hast graciously promised 
forgiveness to those who confess and forsake their 
sins. Thou desirest not the death of a sinner, but 
rather that he should turn from his sin, and be 
saved. Make us duly sensible of the great evil 
of our manifold transgressions ; that with true 
penitence and contrition, we may seek pardon and 
remission at thy hands. 

But, God, thou seest that we are frail and 
helpless in ourselves, and encompassed by trials 
and temptations. Grant us therefore the constant 
direction and assistance of thy Holy Spirit, that 
no sinful thoughts, or unlawful designs, or inordi- 
nate desires may rest wuthin us. Cleanse our 
hearts from envy, hatred and malice, and every 
evil passion, that we may always go to our rest at 
peace with thee, and in charity and good will 
towards our fellow-men. 

And accept, O Lord, our intercessions for all 
mankind. Extend the light of thy everlasting 
gospel to the ends of the earth, that all men may 
know thee, from the greatest to the least; that 
from the rising of the sun even to the going down 
of the same, thy name may be great among the 
Gentiles; and that in every place incense may be 
offered unto thee. Be gracious unto thy Church, 
and grant that every member of the same, in his 
vocation and ministry, may serve thee faithfully. 
Bless our civil rulers and magistrates. Give them 
grace to rule in thy fear, that they may honor 



TRINITY TO ADVENT. 207 

thee by their fidelity, and promote the welfare and 
prosperity of our country. Send down thy bless- 
ings temporal and spiritual, upon all our relations, 
friends and brethren. May those who have been 
merciful to us, receive mercy at thy hands. Par- 
don those who have injured us, and give them 
repentance and a better mind. Have compassion 
on those who are in trouble, need, or affliction ; 
and administer consolation to them, according to 
their several necessities. 

[Occasional Praj^ers, &c] 

We thank thee, God, for all thy past mercies ; 
for the daily blessings and bounties of thy hand ; 
for thy watchful providence and preservation; 
and for every comfort and convenience which we 
have been permitted to enjoj^. Above all, we 
adore thee for thy great mercy, in sending thy 
only Son into the world to redeem us from sin 
and eternal death, and in giving us the knowledge 
and sense of our duty towards thee. 

And now, heavenly Father, we commit our- 
selves to thy gracious protection for this night. 
Defend us from danger and mischief, and fro in 
fear and anxiety, that we may enjoy refreshing- 
sleep and repose, and be fitted for the duties of 
another day. Make as ever mindfu] of the rime 
when we must sleep the sleep of death, and return 
to the dust; and grant us grace always so to live, 
that when thou shalt call us hence, we may die 
the death of the righteous, and our last end be 
like his. 



208 TRINITY TO ADVENT. 

We ask for all, in the name and for the sake of 
Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with the Father, 
and the Holy Ghost, be all honor and glory, world 
without end. Amen. 



TUESDAY MORNING. 



Our Father, &c. 

Lord God, the protector of all that trust in 
thee, give ear unto our prayers, and consider our 
meditations. Hearken to the voice of our calling, 
for unto thee do we offer up our humble petitions. 
Early in the morning do we appear before thee ; 
even now do we look to thee for thy blessing. 
Without thee, nothing is strong, nothing is holy. 
Thou art our defender and keeper ; we place our 
trust and confidence in thy unfailing goodness. 
In compassion to the weakness of our mortal 
nature, grant us, God, the help of thy grace ; 
and increase and multiply upon us thy mercy ; 
that we may be delivered from the bondage of 
corruption, and admitted into the glorious liberty 
of thy children. Be thou our ruler and guide in 
all our ways ; that we may go out and come in 
this day in peace and safety ; and that we may so 
pass through things temporal, that we finally lose 
not the things eternal. 

God, enable us to show forth our gratitude 
to thee, by our love to all for whom Christ has 



TKINITY TO ADVENT. 209 

died. May we be merciful to our fellow-men, as 
we look for mercy at thy hands. Let us not 
- judge one another, lest we be judged of thee. Let 
us not condemn, lest we fall under thy just con- 
demnation. May we forgive others, as we hope 
to be forgiven of thee. And grant, we beseech 
thee, that the whole course of our lives may be so 
peaceably ordered by thy governance, that we 
may joyfully serve thee in all godly quietness; 
that so we may delight in thy service, and exer- 
cise ourselves day and night in thy command- 
ments. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 

God, the creator and preserver of all mankind, 
we offer up our supplications for the whole human 
race. Be pleased to make thy ways known unto 
them, and cause the blessed light of thy gospel to 
shine upon all people, that all the nations that 
thou hast made, may come and worship before 
thee, and glorify thy name. More especially, 
Lord, we beseech thee to keep thy Church and 
household in thy true religion, that it may ever 
be governed by thy good Spirit ; and that all who 
profess and call themselves Christians, may be 
kept steadfastly in thy truth, and hold the faith in 
unity of spirit, in the bond of peace, and in right- 
eousness of life. Finally, heavenly Father, we 
commend to thy unfailing compassion, all the sons 
and daughters of affliction : Whatsoever be their 
trouble, be thou merciful unto them, and bless 
them, and show them the light of th v countenance, 
18* 



210 TEINITY TO ADVENT. 

Comfort and relieve them, according to their sev- 
eral necessities, and give them patience under 
their sufferings, and a happy issue out of all their 
afflictions. All which we ask for Jesus Christ's 
sake, to whom, with thee, Father, and the Holy 
Ghost, be all honor and glory, world without end. 
Amen. 



TUESDAY EVENING. 



Lord God, our heavenly Father, let our 
prayer now come before thee as incense, and let 
the lifting up of our hands be an acceptable eve- 
ning sacrifice. "We acknowledge our unworthi- 
ness; we confess our sins ; and all our unrighteous- 
ness is open before thee. Thou hast searched us 
out, and marked all our ways. There is not a 
word in our tongue, but thou knowest it ; and 
thou understandest all our secret thoughts. We 
can not flee from thy Spirit ; we can not escape 
from thy presence. If we climb up into heaven, 
or sink down into hell, we see thy glory, or we 
feel thy power. If we take the wings of the 
morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the 
sea, there shall we see thy over-ruling hand. If 
we say, Peradventure the darkness shall cover us, 
then shall our night be turned to day : The dark- 
ness is no darkness with thee ; but the night is as 
clear as the day : The darkness and light to thee 



TEINITY TO ADVENT. 211 

are both alike. Lord, enter not into judgment 
with us, thy servants ; for in thy sight shall no 
man be justified. But we cast ourselves upon thy 
mercies in Christ Jesus. For his sake, hear the 
voice of our humble petitions, when we cry unto 
thee. hide not thy face, nor cast away thy 
servants in displeasure. 

We bless thee, O God, for all the mercies hith- 
erto bestowed upon us ; for thy preservation and 
protection during the past day ; and for all the 
various comforts of thy providence and grace. 
The eyes of all wait upon thee, Lord, and thou 
givest them their meat in clue season. Thou 
openest thy hand, and fillest all things living with 
plenteousness. Thou hast made us glad through 
thy works ; and we will praise thee for the opera- 
tions of thy hands. More especially heavenly 
Father, we bless thee for thy unspeakable love, in 
sending thine only begotten Son into the world, 
to be the propitiation for our sins. May this man- 
ifestation of thy great goodness, fill us with grati- 
tude and love to thee. Endue us by thy grace, 
with that perfect love which casteth out all anxiety 
and fear; that as dutiful and obedient children 
we may commit all our concerns, in holy trust and 
confidence, to thee. May we lie down under thy 
guardian care, and take our rest in peace ; and 
may we rise in the morning, with renewed strength 
and ability to perform our various duties. But, 
God, we beseech thee, make us deeply sensible of 
the shortness and uncertainty of human life. Let 



212 TKIXITY TO ADVENT. 

us remember, that thou hast made our daj^s as it 
were a span long, and that our age is nothing in 
comparison of thee. Let us remember, that in 
such an hour as we think not, our years may come 
to an end, as it were a tale that is told ; and so 
teach us to number our days, that we may apply 
our hearts unto wisdom, that whensoever our 
Lord shall come we may be prepared to meet him. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 

Lord, we beseech thee mercifully to hear us ; 
and grant that we, to whom thou hast given an 
hearty desire to pray, may, by thy mighty aid, be 
defended and comforted in all dangers and adver- 
sities, through Jesus Christ our Lord, in whose all- 
prevailing words we sum up these our petitions : — ■ 

Our Father, &c. 



WEDNESDAY MORNING. 



Almighty and most merciful Father, we humble 
ourselves before thee, as helpless and unworthy 
sinners. We have erred and strayed from thy 
ways, like lost sheep. If we say that we have no 
sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in 
us : But, God, if we confess our sins unto thee, 
thou art faithful and just to forgive us our sins, 
and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. "We 
have followed too much the devices and desires 
of our own hearts. We have offended against 



TRINITY TO ADVENT. 218 

thy holy laws. We have left undone those things 
which we ought to have done ; and we have done 
those things which we ought not to have done : 
And there is no health in us. Lord, be thou 
merciful unto us, miserable offenders. Spare thy 
people, whom thou hast redeemed with thy most 
precious .blood, and be not angry with us forever. 
Make us truly penitent for all our sins, and turn 
our hearts unto thy testimonies. We cast all our 
care upon thee ; for thou carest for us. Whom 
have we in heaven but thee ; and whom on earth 
can we desire in comparison of thee. When our 
flesh and our heart fail, thou art the strength of 
our heart, and our portion forever. Make us 
sober and vigilant; because our adversary, the 
devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking 
whom he may devour. Give us grace to resist 
every temptation, and to shun every evil way; 
and ever keep us steadfast in the faith, that we 
may hereafter live a righteous and godly life, to 
the glory of thy holy name. 

Let us go forth to our several duties this day, 
under the care and protection of thy good provi- 
dence, and the guidance of thy Holy Spirit. Show 
us thy ways, Lord, and incline our hearts to tliy 
commandments. May we love thee, the Lord our 
God, supremely, and our neighbor as ourselves. 
Endue us with a spirit of compassion and benevo- 
lence, and guard us against the sin of covetousness, 
which is idolatry. As we have opportunity, let 
us do good unto all men, especially to those who 



214 TRINITY TO ADVEOT. 

are of the household of faith. Let us not lay up 
for ourselves treasures upon earth, where moth 
and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break 
through and steal : But let us lay up for ourselves 
treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust 
doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break 
through and steal. Preserve us, we beseech thee, 
in health and peace, and defend us from every 
danger ; from the arrow that flieth by day ; from 
the pestilence that walketh in darkness ; and from 
the sickness that wasteth at noon-day. Be thou a 
present God to all who are near and dear to us ; 
and especially to those who are in trouble, sorrow, 
or affliction. Hearken to their prayer, when they 
cry unto thee ; fulfill all their desires ; and help 
and deliver them, for Jesus Christ's sake. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 

Almighty God, who hast given us grace at this 
time, with one accord to make our common sup- 
plications unto thee, and clost promise that when 
two or three are gathered together in thy name, 
thou wilt grant their requests ; fulfill now, Lord, 
the desires and petitions of us thy servants, as 
may be most expedient for us ; granting us in 
this world knowledge of thy truth, and in the 
world to come life everlasting. We ask for all in 
the name, and for the sake, of Jesus Christ our 
Lord, in whose perfect form of words we conclude 
our petitions : — 

Our Father, &c. 



TRINITY TO ADVENT. 215 

WEDNESDAY EVENING. 

O Lord, our heavenly Father, by whose al- 
mighty power we have been preserved this clay, 
we again commit ourselves to thy holy care and 
keeping this night. By thy great mercy, defend 
us from all perils and dangers. Spread over us 
the shadow of thy wings, that we may lie down in 
peace, and fear no evil. Give rest to our wearied 
bodies, and tranquility to our spirits, that our 
sleep may be sweet, and our slumbers refreshing. 
And, God, make all thy goodness pass before 
us, that we may remember thee on our bed, and 
meditate on thee in the night-watches. Let us 
commune with our own hearts, and make us faith- 
ful in our self-examination ; remembering always, 
that if our heart condemn us, thou, God, art 
greater than our heart, and knowest all things. 

Pardon, Lord, all the sins which we have 
committed this clay. Look with compassion on 
our weakness and infirmities. Who can tell how 
oft he offendeth? cleanse thou us from our 
secret faults. Keep us also from presumptuous 
sins, lest they get the dominion over us. O re- 
member not our former transgressions ; but accord- 
ing to thy great goodness, show us the light of thy 
countenance, and have mercy upon us. 

Extend thy compassions, heavenly Father, to 
the whole human race. Make thy way known 
upon earth, thy saving health among all nations. 
Let thy gospel be published in all the world ; and 



216 TRINITY TO ADVENT. 

let repentance and remission of sins be preached 
to all people. Cause the wicked to forsake his 
way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts. May- 
he return unto thee, Lord, that thou mayest 
have mercy upon him, and abundantly pardon 
him. Have pity especially upon those who are 
bowed clown under a sense of their sins ; and to 
whom the remembrance of them is grievous, and 
the burden thereof intolerable. O merciful God, 
who hast written thy holy word for our learning, 
that we through patience and comfort of the scrip- 
tures might have hope, give to those who are 
weary and heavy laden, a right understanding of 
themselves, and of thy threats and promises ; "that 
they may neither cast away their confidence in : . 
thee, nor place it anywhere but in thee. Give 
them strength against all their temptations, and 
help all their infirmities : Break not the bruised 
reed, nor quench the smoking flax : Shut not up 
thy tender mercies in displeasure ; but make them 
to hear of joy and gladness, that the broken bones 
may rejoice, and the heavy heart be lifted up: 
Deliver them from fear of the enemy, and lift up 
the light of thy countenance upon them, and give 
them peace, through the merits and mediation of 
Jesus Christ our Lord. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 

Be gracious, God, to all our relatives and 
friends. Grant unto them and us, all the benefits 
and privileges of thy great salvation. May we all 
be one, in the faith and fellowship of the gospel ; 



TRINITY TO ADVENT. 217 

that Christ may be in us, and we in him, and both 
in thee, through his all-sufficient atonement and 
intercession. 

Our Father, &c. 

The grace, &c. 



THURSDAY MORNING. 



Our Father, &c. 

Our Father, who art in heaven :] Let us come 
into thy presence, as dutiful children, and cry unto 
thee in the true spirit of adoption. And, God, 
hear thou in heaven, thy dwelling place, and 
accept our supplications, and grant our petitions, 
for thy dear Son's sake. 

Hallowed be thy name.] From the rising of 
the sun, even unto the going down of the same, be 
thy name exalted ; and in every place may incense 
be offered unto thy name, and a pure offering; 
that thy name may be great among the nations. 

Thy kingdom come.] In the day of thy power, 
may the people offer thee free-will offerings, with 
an holy worship. Hasten the day, Lord, when 
every knee shall bow to thy sceptre, and every 
tongue confess thy righteousness. Grant that all 
men may walk in thy fear ; that the dominion of 
the Prince of Peace may extend throughout the 

world; and that the earth may be full of the 
10 



218 TRINITY TO ADVENT. 

knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover 
the sea. 

Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.] 
Thou alone canst order the unruly wills and 
affections of sinful men. Grant unto us thy Holy 
Spirit, that we may love the thing which thou 
commandest, and desire that which thou dost 
promise. As all the heavenly host delight to do 
thy will; so may we, thy unworthy servants, be 
enabled, through thy grace, to walk in the way 
of thy commandments, and to submit to all thy 
righteous dealings ; that after we have done thy 
will on earth, we may be received, according to 
thy promise, to glorify thee in heaven. 

Give us this day our daily bread.] Thou open- 
est thine hand, God, and fillest all things living 
with plenteousness. Supply, we beseech thee, all 
our temporal and spiritual necessities. Sustain 
our perishing bodies from day to day, and feed 
our souls with the bread of life — even that bread 
of God, which cometh clown from heaven, and 
giveth life unto the world. 

And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive 
those who trespass against us.] According to the 
measure of our forbearance and forgiveness to 
others, may we hope to be forgiven of thee. 
Make us kind and compassionate, tender-hearted, 
forgiving one another, even as thou, for Christ's 
sake, hast forgiven us. 

And lead us not into temptation.] Put away 
from us, we beseech thee, all the deceitful allure- 



TRINITY TO ADVENT. 219 

ments of the world, the flesh, and the devil ; that 
we walk not in the counsel of the ungodly ; nor 
stand in the way of sinners ; nor sit in the seat of 
the scornful. Purify our hearts from those inor- 
dinate and sinful desires and affections, by which 
we are drawn away and enticed. Suffer us not to 
be tempted above that we are able ; but, with 
every temptation, do thou, in infinite mercy, make 
a way for us to escape. O blessed Jesus, who 
hast thyself suffered, and wast in all points tempted 
like as we are, thou art able to succor them that 
are tempted. Keep us in the hour of trial ; save 
us from every snare ; and bear us above all the 
crafts and assaults of the adversary. 

Deliver us from evil.] Lord, our Grod, who 
alone art able to deliver us, our only trust is in 
thee. Thou art a defence for the oppressed ; even 
a refuge in every time of trouble. Incline thine 
ear unto us, and save us. Be thou our strong 
hold, whereunto we may always resort ; our house 
of defence, and our castle. Let no evil happen 
unto us, nor any plague come nigh our dwelling. 
Deliver us from all the calamities of this life ; from 
the pains of disease; from trouble, sorrow, and 
affliction : And, above all, deliver us from the 
bondage of corruption ; from the slavery of sin ; . 
and from everlasting condemnation. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 

And to thee, with the Son, and the Holy Ghost, 
be the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, 
forever and ever. Amen. 



220 TRINITY TO ADVENT. 

THURSDAY EVENING. 

Our Father, &c. 

merciful God and heavenly Father, who 
makest the returns of the morning and evening to 
praise thee, we acknowledge thy great goodness, in 
preserving our lives, and in bringing us to the 
close of this day in peace and safety. Every day 
dost thou manifest thy loving kindness, and every 
night we are bound to offer up our praises unto 
thee. Let our prayer now come before thee as 
incense ; and let the lifting up of our hands be 
accepted of thee as an evening sacrifice. 

We humbly confess, God, the sins and ini- 
quities of this day. How often have we violated 
thy holy precepts and commandments ! How many 
duties have we neglected ! If thou wert extreme 
to mark what is done amiss, who could abide thy 
indignation ! But we know that thou art gracious 
and merciful, long-suffering, and full of compas- 
sion. We cast ourselves upon thy mercies in 
Christ Jesus ; beseeching thee to look down upon 
us, in thy wonted pity and forbearance. Have 
mercy upon us, after thy abundant goodness • 
according to the multitude of thy mercies, do 
away our offences. Draw nigh unto us, and save 
us from our sins. Give unto us that peace which 
the world can never give ; that we may go to our 
rest in perfect charity with all men ; with con- 
sciences void of offence, and with perfect trust and 
confidence in thee. May we dwell securely under 



TEINITY TO ADVENT. 221 

the defence of the Most High ; and abide in safety 
■under the shadow of the Almighty : And, being 
protected from every peril and danger, may we 
pass the night in rest and quietness ; through the 
merits of our only Saviour, Jesus Christ. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 

To thee, gracious God, and to thy tender 
mercies, we commend ourselves and all for whom 
it is our duty and our desire to pray. Remember 
with favor the Church, which thy blessed Son 
hast purchased with his own precious blood. Send 
forth among its members a spirit of grace and 
supplication, that they may so confess Jesus Christ 
before men, that he may finally confess them before 
thy throne in heaven. Enlighten the ignorant, 
awaken the careless and negligent, sustain and 
direct the humble and contrite soul, and bring all 
men to the obedience of the gospel. To our dear 
friends, relatives, and neighbors extend thy mer- 
cies, both temporal and spiritual. Bless them 
with health and prosperity ; or, if thou shalt see 
fit to visit them with trouble, sanctify and over- 
rule all their sorrows and adversities, to their 
present and eternal good. Above all, make them 
wise unto salvation, that they may partake of the 
consolations of thy spirit here, and finally attain 
to thy heavenly kingdom. 

O thou, who art the way, the truth and the life, 
open unto us the path to heaven, enlighten our 
minds with the beams of eternal truth, and after 

the trials and perils of tins life are over, bring us 
10* 



222 TRINITY TO ADVENT. 

at last into thy presence, where there is fullness 
of joy, and to thy right hand, where there are 
pleasures forevermore. And to thee, blessed 
Saviour, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, be 
all the glory and praise, world without end. 
Amen. 

The grace, &c. 



FRIDAI MORNING. 



Our Father, &c. 

God, the Father of heaven, have mercy upon 
us, miserable sinners. O God, the Son, Redeemer 
of the world, have mercy upon us. God, the 
Holy Ghost, proceeding from the Father and the 
Son, have mercy upon us. holy, blessed, and 
glorious Trinity, three persons and one God, have 
mercy upon us. 

Lord, remember not our offences, nor the 
offences of our forefathers, neither take thou ven- 
geance of our sins. Spare us, good Lord, spare 
thy people, whom thou hast redeemed with thy 
most precious blood, and be not angry with us 
forever. 

Deliver us, Lord, from all evil and mischief; 
from sin; from the crafts and assaults of the 
devil; from thy wrath, and from everlasting 
damnation: From all blindness of heart; from 
pride, vain -glory, and hypocrisy ; from envy, 



TRINITY TO ADVENT. 223 

hatred, and malice, and all uncharitableness : 
From all inordinate and sinful affections ; and 
from all the deceits of the world, the flesh, and 
the devil: From lightning and tempest; from 
plague, pestilence, and famine ; from battle and 
murder, and from sudden death: From all sedi- 
tion, privy conspiracy, and rebellion ; from all 
false doctrine, heresy, and schism ; from hardness 
of heart, and contempt of thy word and command- 
ment. 

By the mystery of thy holy Incarnation ; by 
thy holy Nativity and Circumcision; by thy 
Baptism, Fasting, and Temptation ; by thine 
Agony and Bloody Sweat; by thy Cross and 
Passion ; by thy precious Death and Burial ; by 
thy glorious Resurrection and Ascension ; and by 
the coming of the Holy Ghost; good Lord de- 
liver us. 

In all time of our tribulation ; in all time of our 
prosperity ; in the hour of death, and in the day 
of judgment, good Lord deliver us. 

O Lord, arise, help us, and deliver us, for thy 
name's sake. Deal not with us according to our 
sins, neither reward us according to our iniquities. 
Favorably with mercy hear our prayers ; and be- 
hold in pity the sorrows of our hearts. 

God, merciful Father, who despisest not the 
sighing of a contrite heart, nor the desire of such 
as are sorrowful; mercifully assist our prayers, 
which we make before thee at all times, and espe- 
cially in our troubles and adversities, whensoever 



22-i TKINITY TO ADVENT. 

they oppress us; and graciously hear us, that 
those evils which the craft and subtlety of the 
devil or man worketk against us, may, by thy 
good providence, be brought to nought ; that we, 
thy servants, being hurt by no persecutions, may 
evermore give thanks to thee, through Jesus Christ 
our Lord. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 

Unto Grod's gracious mercy and protection, we 
now commit ourselves, and all our friends, rela- 
tives, and brethren. Lord, bless us and keep 
us : Make thy face to shine upon us, and be gra- 
cious unto us : Lift up thy countenance upon us, 
and give us peace, both now and evermore. Amen. 



FRIDAY EVENING. 



Our Father, &c. 

O Lord God, our heavenly Father, we sinners 
do beseech thee to hear us, and grant all that we 
call upon thee for, in the name of thy beloved 
Son. May it please thee, to rule and govern thy 
Holy Church universal, to thy glory, and the good 
of thy people. Bless and preserve all Christian 
rulers and magistrates ; giving them grace to exe- 
cute justice, and to maintain truth: Illuminate all 
Bishops, Priests, and Deacons, with true knowledge 
and understanding of thy word; that both by 
their preaching and living, they may set it forth, 



TRINITY TO ADVENT. 225 

and show it accordingly : Bless and keep all thy 
people : Give to all nations unity, peace, and con- 
trol : Give us an heart to love and fear thee, and 
diligently to live after thy commandments : Give 
to all thy people increase of grace, to hear meekly 
thy word, and to receive it with pure affection ? 
and to bring forth the fruits of thy Spirit. Bring 
into the way of truth all such as have erred and 
are deceived : Strengthen such as do stand, and 
comfort and help the weak-hearted, and raise up 
those who fall, and finally beat down Satan under 
our feet: Succor, help, and comfort, all who are 
in danger, necessity, or tribulation : Preserve all 
who travel by land or by water ; all sick persons, 
and young children ; and show thy pity upon all 
prisoners and captives: Defend and provide for 
the fatherless children, and widows, and all who 
are desolate and oppressed : Have mercy upon all 
men: Forgive our enemies, persecutors, and slan- 
derers, and turn their hearts : Give and preserve 
to our use, the kindly fruits of the earth, so that 
in due time we may enjoy them ; Give us true 
repentance, forgive us all our sins, negligences, 
and ignorances ; and endue us with the grace of 
thy Holy Spirit, to amend our lives, according to 
thy holy word. 

Son of God, we beseech thee to hear us. 
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the 
world, grant us thy peace. Lamb of God, who 
takest away the sins of the world, have mercy 
upon us. 



226 TRINITY TO ADVENT. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 

We humbly beseech thee, Father, mercifully 
to look upon our infirmities ; and, for the glory of 
thy name, turn from us all those evils that we 
most justly have deserved ; and grant, that in all 
our troubles, trials and necessities, we may put 
our whole trust and confidence in tlry mercy, and 
evermore serve thee in holiness and pureness of 
living; to thy honor and glorj^, through our only 
Mediator and Advocate, Jesus Christ our Lord. 
A men. 

The grace, &c. 



SATURDAY MORNING. 



O God, thou art our God, early will we seek 
thee. Thy mercies are new every morning; and 
every morning will we direct our prayer unto 
thee. Unworthy sinners as we are, it is good for 
us to draw near unto thee ; and wilt thou, God, 
in infinite condescension, draw near unto us and 
hearken to our supplications. We seek for mercy 
and forgiveness, only through the merits and 
intercession of th}^ beloved Son. 

We beseech thee, heavenly Father, to grant us 
thy constant guidance, counsel and support, that 
through the help of thy Holy Spirit, we may obey 
thy commandments, and faithfully follow thy pre- 
cepts/ Show us the way in which Ave should 
walk, for we lift up our souls unto thee. 



TRINITY TO ADVENT. 227 

God, if thou sliouldst see fit, in thine infinite 
wisdom, to visit us with pain, or sickness, or sor- 
row, be thou our ever present solace and refuge, 
and heal our diseases, and help our infirmities, or 
give us grace so to take thy visitation, that we 
may submit with patience and resignation to every 
dispensation of thy hand. Let us hear of thy 
loving kindness at all times, for in thee is our trust. 

If poverty and want should be our lot, be thou, 
O God, our portion and inheritance. Let us re- 
member that thy blessed Son was contented to 
become poor and destitute, that he might make 
many rich, and that he is able to afford help and 
deliverance in every time of need. Teach us to 
endure all things for his sake, that our treasures 
may be laid up in heaven, and that our hearts 
may be fixed on things above, where alone true 
joys are to be found. Or if thou shouldst bestow 
upon us the rich bounties of thy providence, keep 
us, we beseech thee, from all presumptuous sins ; 
from pride, and arrogancy, and self-dependence, 
from forgetfulness of thee; and from all those 
hurtful lusts and passions, which war against the 
soul. May we be clothed with humility ; always 
remembering, that God resisteth the proud, and 
givcth grace to the humble. thou from v horn 
cometh every good and perfect gift, give us a 
grateful sense of all thy mercies, through Jesus 
Christ our Lord. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 

merciful God, if it please thee, bring u 



228 TKINITY TO ADVENT. 

peace and safety to the close of this day, and ena- 
ble us again to cast ourselves, and all our concerns, 
upon thy goodness and mercy. And when all the 
days of our pilgrimage shall be ended ; when our 
probation shall be brought to a close; when 
all our earthly labors, and cares, and joys, and 
sorrows, shall cease, O blessed Jesus, shed thy 
heavenly radiance round our dying bed ; place 
underneath us thine everlasting arms, and enable 
us, by thy blessed Spirit, to enter those mansions 
in thy Father's house, which thou hast gone to 
prepare for those that love thee. 

We ask for all in thy name, and in the form of 
words which thou hast taught thy -disciples to 
use : — 

Our Father, &c. 



SATURDAY EVENING. 



Our Father, &c. 

Almighty and everlasting God, who art always 
more ready to hear than we to pray, and art wont 
to give more than we either desire or deserve, we 
bless thee, we praise thee, for all the mercies be- 
stowed upon us this day. It is a good thing to 
give thanks unto thee, Lord; to tell of thy 
loving kindness early in the morning, and of thy 
truth in the night season. We will thank thee 
with all our hearts ; we will praise thy name for- 



TEINITY TO ADVENT. 229 

evermore. Every hour that thou addest to our 
lives, is a monument of thy wondrous love ; every 
day bears testimony of thy providential care. 

But we acknowledge, God, with shame and 
confusion of face, our hardness and ingratitude. 
How thoughtless, how regardless are we of thy 
mercies ! How often do we neglect our duties ; 
how often do we wander from the way of thy 
commandments ! For how many sinful thoughts, 
and words, and works, must we render an account 
this night ! Let thy Holy Spirit now bring our 
offences to remembrance, that we may confess 
them before thee, and seek forgiveness at thy 
hands. Thou art nigh unto them that art of a 
contrite heart, and wilt save such as be of an 
humble spirit. Put us not to rebuke, Lord, in 
thine anger ; neither chasten us in thy heavy dis- 
pleasure. May we have an Advocate with the 
Father, Jesus Christ the Eighteous ; and through 
his propitiation, may we, now and ever, find ac- 
ceptance at thy throne. 

We offer our humble supplications unto thee, O 
heavenly Father, for all our relatives and friends. 
Make them partakers of thy grace ; that they may 
love and serve thee, with all their heart, and soul, 
and mind, and strength ; and that all things may 
work together for their present and eternal good. 
Provide, we besech thee, for the spiritual and 
temporal necessities of all men. Lead thorn forth 
in thy truth, and learn them the way of salvation. 
Let the blessed beams of thy gospel extend to all 
20 



230 TRINITY TO ADVENT. 

the borders of the earth, that the Gentiles may 
come to its light, and the nations of the world to 
the brightness of its rising. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 

O God, be thou our ever present protector 
and guide. In all the vicissitudes of life, may we 
keep our eye steadfastly fixed on the promised 
inheritance of the faithful: And as days and 
weeks pass away, may we feel that eternity is 
approaching. May the gathering shades of night, 
remind us of the dark valley of the shadow of 
death. May we so prepare ourselves for our 
bodily repose, that our souls also may be at peace 
with thee. And if we be not permitted to behold 
the dawn of another Sabbath in this world, be 
thou with us, blessed Jesus ; show us the path 
of life ; and let thy rod and thy staff support and 
comfort us. May we sleep in thee ; may our flesh 
rest in hope; and may we finally awake on the 
morning of that Eternal Sabbath, whose sun shall 
never set; whose joys shall never end. 

All which we ask, for the sake, and through 
the merits, of Jesus Christ, our blessed Lord and 
Saviour. Amen. 

The grace, &c. 



TRINITY TO ADVENT. 231 

MORNING OF TEE FOURTH OF JULY. 

Our Father. &c. 

Almighty God, who hast in all ages made 
known thy power and mercy, in the gracious 
deliverance and protection of states and empires, 
and hast visited us of old, and beyond other na- 
tions, with many temporal and spiritual blessings ; 
we yield thee our unfeigned thanks and praise, as 
well for thy many other great and public mercies, 
so especially for that signal and wonderful deliv- 
erance which we this day commemorate. Thou 
hast done marvellous things for us, whereof we 
are glad. We praise thee; we bless thee; we 
magnify thee ; for thou hast triumphed gloriously. 
With thine own right hand, and with thy mighty 
arm, hast thou gotten to thyself the victory. 
Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, 
and the glory, and the majesty, and the victory. 
Thine is the kingdom, and thou art exalted as 
head over all. Thou doest what thou wilt in the 
armies of heaven, and among the inhabitants of 
the earth, and none may stay thy hand. Lord 
of Hosts; O God of battles; who is like unto 
thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing 
wonders! 

[Occasional Prayers, &c.] 

We beseech thee, Lord, to pour down upon 
the inhabitants of this land, the spirit of unfeigned 
gratitude and love for all thy mercies towards us, 



232 TKINITY TO ADVENT. 

Let the people praise thee, God; let all the 
people praise thee. 

And grant that they may show forth thy praise, 
not only with their lips, but in their lives. Pre- 
serve them from all profane and unholy rejoicings, 
lest the}^ draw down upon us a curse, and not a 
blessing ; and lest the things which should have 
been for our good, prove unto us an occasion of 
falling. 

Grant us grace, we beseech thee, to use thy 
blessings as we ought, with devout gratitude to 
thee, our God ; with zeal for thy glory, and sub- 
mission to thy will ; with a faithful adherence to 
the gospel of thy Son; with obedience to our 
rulers for conscience sake, as thy ministers for 
good ; with moderation and humility ; with justice 
and purity ; with charity, forbearance, and broth- 
erly love; that amidst these and all thy blessings, 
we may seek thy glory, and the increase of thy 
kingdom, through the merits of Jesus Christ, our 
blessed Lord and Saviour. Amen, 

The Lord bless us, and keep us ! The Lord 
make his face to shine upon us, and be gracious 
unto us ! The Lord lift up the light of his coun- 
tenance upon us and give us peace, both now and 
evermore. Amen. 



TRINITY TO ADVENT. 233 

THANKSGIVING DAY-MORNING. 

[To be used on the first Thursday of November, or on such other day as 
shall be appointed by the civil authorities.] 

Most gracious God, by whose unspeakable 
mercy we are again permitted to present the an- 
nual tribute of our thanks and praise, we bless 
thee for the continual manifestations of thy good- 
ness to us and to all the children of men. By thy 
wisdom, Lord, thou hast founded the earth ; by 
understanding thou hast established the heavens ; 
by thy knowledge the depths are broken up, and 
the clouds drop down the dew. We bless thee 
for the return of seed-time and harvest, and for 
crowning the year with the bounties of thy provi- 
dence. We praise thee for all thy gracious deal- 
ings towards us, and we beseech thee, of thy great 
goodness, to receive the thank-offerings with 
which we come before thee this day. 

We acknowledge, heavenly Father, the imper- 
fection of our best services. We confess that we 
are sinners before thee, and altogether unworthy 
of thy mercies. But we know that thou art kind 
and beneficent, even to the unthankful and the 
evil. Thou makest thy sun to rise on the evil and 
on the good, and sendest rain on the just and on 
the unjust. Give us a due sense of thy wonderful 
condescension and forbearance, that our hearts 
may be moved to penitence and contrition for our 
past negligence and sin, and excited to new dili- 
gence, zeal, and devotion, for the future. 
20* 



234 TRINITY TO ADVENT. 

We beseccli tliee, Lord, to pour down upon 
the inhabitants of this land, the spirit of unfeigned 
gratitude and love for all thy mercies. May they 
enter thy gates with thanksgiving, and thy courts 
with praise. May they honor thee with all their 
substance, and with the first fruits of all their in- 
crease. And grant that they may show forth their 
devotion to thee, not only with their lips, but also 
in their lives. Preserve them from the unholy 
rejoicings of the sensual and profane ; restrain 
every sinful and intemperate indulgence; and 
grant us all grace, heavenly Father, to use thy 
blessings without abusing them ; with zeal for thy 
glory; submission to thy will, and a faithful ad- 
herence to the gospel of thy Son ; with moderation 
and humility; with justice and purity ; with char- 
ity, forbearance, and brotherly love; that amidst 
these and all thy blessings, we may seek thy glory 
and the increase of thy kingdom. 

Fill our hearts, O God, with a spirit of tender- 
ness and compassion for all around us. May we 
rejoice with those that do rejoice, and weep with 
those that weep. May we be readj^ to impart of 
the abundance which thou hast given us, to the 
poor and needy ; the distressed and the afflicted ; 
the widow and the fatherless ; and thus fulfill the 
law of pure and undefiled religion before God and 
the Father. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 

Grant us, heavenly Father, a continuance of all 
thy mercies, through Jesus Christ our Lord, in 



TKINITY TO ADVENT. 285 

whose all prevailing name and words we sum up 
our petitions : — 
Our Father, &c. 



THANKSGIVING DAY-EVENING. 

Lord, our Governor, how excellent is thy 
name in all the world ; thou that hast set thy 
glory above the heavens ! We will consider the 
works of thy hands ; the heavens which thou hast 
made; the moon and the stars which thou hast 
ordained. What is man, that thou art mindful of 
him? And the son of man, that thou visitest 
him ? Thou makest him to have dominion over 
the works of thy hands ; and thou hast put all 
things in subjection under his feet; all sheep and 
oxen ; yea, and the beasts of the field ; the fowls 
of the air, and the fishes of the sea ; and whatso- 
ever walketh through the paths of the seas. O 
Lord, our Governor, how excellent is thy name in 
all the world ! 

We praise thee, Lord; for it is good to sing- 
praises unto our God ; for it is pleasant, and praise 
is comely. We thank thee for all thy manifold 
blessings; for the dispensation of thy grace, 
through the mediation of thy blessed Son ; for the 
bounties of thy providence ; for the plenty with 
which thou hast crowded the labors of the hus- 
bandman ; for the preservation of our health ; for 



236 TRINITY TO ADVENT. 

the reign of peace, and for the enjoyment of our 
civil and religious liberties. We thank thee for 
the comforts and privileges, of which we have 
been permitted to partake this day. We acknow- 
ledge thy hand in every mercy, and desire to ren- 
der back to thee the homage of gratitude and love. 
We acknowledge that every good gift, and every 
perfect gift, is from above, and cometh down from 
the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, 
neither shadow of turning. But we confess unto 
thee, God, that our souls are burdened with 
iniquity ; that we are frail and erring creatures ; 
that our hearts are corrupt, and that our hands 
are not clean in thy sight. Look with pity and 
compassion upon all that we have thought, or said, 
or done, amiss this day. Be present with us, as 
we now present our supplications unto thee ; and 
through the intercession of thy dear Son, grant 
unto us the pardon of all our sins. Give thy Holy 
Spirit, to comfort the troubled mind, and soothe 
the pains, and wipe away the stains of guilt. 
May we retire to rest, in perfect charity with all 
men. May we be enabled, through thy help, to 
love our enemies ; to bless them that curse us ; to 
do good to them that hate us ; and pray for them 
which despitefully use us and persecute us ; that 
we may be the children of our Father, who art in 
heaven. 

[Occasional Prayers, &c] 

We now commit all our concerns to thee, O 
God, for the year to come. Grant us thy bless- 



TRINITY TO ADVENT. 237 

ings, both temporal and spiritual, for Jesus Christ's 
sake, to whom, with thee, Father, and the Holy 
Ghost, be honor and glory, world without end. 
Amen. 

Our Father, &c. 

Unto Grod's gracious mercy and protection, we 
commit ourselves. The Lord bless us and keep 
us. The Lord make his face to shine upon us, 
and be gracious unto us. The Lord lift up his 
countenance upon us, and give us peace, both now 
and evermore. Amen. 



OCCASIONAL 

PRAYERS AND THANKSGIVINGS. 

TO BE USED 

IN CONNECTION WITH THE OTHER DEVOTIONS. 



§ rajurs* 



FOR COMMUNION DAT-MORNING. 

Grant, Lord, that whosoever on this day shall 
approach thy holy altar, and partake of the blessed 
sacrament of the body and blood of Christ, may 
receive these instituted memorials of the Saviour's 
love, with faith, charity, and true repentance ; and 
being filled with thy grace and heavenly benedic- 
tion, may, to their great and endless comfort, ob- 
tain remission of sin, and all other benefits of his 
passion. 

OR THIS. 

Grant us grace, heavenly Father, to prepare 
our hearts for a due reception of the holy sacra- 
ment of the Lord's Supper. May we truly and 
earnestly repent of our sins. May we cherish a 

spirit of love and charity towards our neighbors. 



240 OCCASIONAL PRAYERS. 

May we resolve, by thy help, to , lead a new life, 
following thy commandments, and walking from 
henceforth in thy righteous ways. May we wash 
our hands in innocency, and so may we draw near 
in faith to thy holy altar, and take the blessed 
sacrament of the body and blood of Christ, to our 
great and endless comfort. 



AFTER BAPTISM. 



Grant, O Lord, that the child this day dedicated 
to thee, and adopted into thy Church by baptism, 
may be sanctified by the Holy Ghost, delivered 
from thy wrath and eternal death, and received as 
a living member of Christ's mystical body, and 
ever remain in the number of thy faithful children. 



AFTER CONFIRMATION. 

We commend to thy mercy and grace, heavenly 
Father, all those thy servants, who have this day, 
in their own persons, renewed the promises and 
vows which they made, or which were made for 
them by their sureties in baptism, and who have 
been confirmed by the laying on of the hands of 
the Bishop. Direct, sanctify, and govern, their 
hearts and bodies in the ways of thy laws, and in 
the works of thy commandments; and defend 



OCCASIONAL PEAYEES. 241 

them, O Lord, with thy heavenly grace, that they 
may continue thine forever, and daily increase in 
thy Holy Spirit more and more, until they come 
unto thy heavenly kingdom. 



AFTER MARRIAGE. 



O Eternal God, Creator and Preserver of all 
mankind, giver of all spiritual grace, the author 
of everlasting life ; send thy blessing, we beseech 
thee, upon thy servants who have this day been 
united together in holy matrimony. May they 
faithfully perform and keep their solemn vow 
and covenant, and ever remain in perfect love and 
peace together, and live according to thy laws, 
through Jesus Christ our Lord. 



FOR THE CHILDREN OF A FAMILY. 

Be thou, God, a father and friend to the 
children of this family. Lead them by thy provi- 
dence through the dangers and temptations of 
their youth, that they may neither run into foil} 7 ", 
nor give way to unbridled passions or appetites. 
Be pleased so to order the events of their lives, 
that by wholesome instruction and prudent exam- 
ple, and by thy restraining grace, they may be 
trained up to serve thee faithfully, in the midst 
21 



242 OCCASIONAL PRAYERS. 

of an evil world ; and, after an holy and useful 
life, may come to a peaceful and happy death ; 
and may be made heirs with Christ in the glories 
of his heavenly kingdom. 



FOR SUNDAY SCHOOLS. 

Grant, O Lord, thy heavenly grace, to the 
Sunday Schools and other institutions for the reli- 
gious instruction of the children and youth of thy 
flock. Make the pastors and teachers of these 
children duly sensible of the great charge commit- 
ted to their trust. Endue them plenteously with 
thy heavenly gifts, and make them faithful in 
training up the young in thy fear and service : 
That they may from the heart, believe in thee, the 
Lord their God, and worship and serve thee, their 
Creator, Eedeemer, and Sanctifier: That they 
may renounce the devil and all his works, the 
pomps and vanities of this wicked world, and all 
the sinful desires of the flesh, and keep thy holy 
will and commandments, and walk in the same all 
the days of their life. Graft in their hearts the 
love of thy name ; increase in them true religion ; 
nourish them with all goodness ; and by thy great 
mercy, keep them in the same, that so, in the end, 
they may obtain everlasting life. 



OCCASIONAL PRAYERS. 243 



ON THE BIRTH-DAY OP A MEMBER OP THE EAMILY. 

God, heavenly Father, who hast been gra- 
ciously pleased to prolong the days of this thy 
servant, [or this child,] and to add another year 
to his mortal life, we humbly beseech thee to take 
him under thy special care and protection, for the 
time which is to come ; and grant that, as he ad- 
vances in years, he may grow in grace, and in fit- 
ness and preparation for thy heavenly kingdom. 



POR A SICK PERSON. 



O Father of mercies, and God of all comfort, 
our only help in time of need, look down from 
heaven, we humbly beseech thee, behold, visit, and 
relieve thy sick servant, for whom we offer up 
our earnest supplications. Look upon him with 
the eyes of thy mercy ; comfort him with a sense 
of thy goodness ; preserve him from the tempta- 
tions of the enemy; give him patience under his 
affliction; and, in thy good time, restore Kim to 
health, and enable him to lead the residue of his 
life in thy fear, and to thy glory; or else give him 
grace so to take thy visitation, that after this pain- 
ful life is ended, he may dwell with thee in life 
everlasting, through Jesus Christ our Lord. 



244 OCCASIONAL PRAYERS. 

FOR A PERSON DANGEROUSLY SICK. 

Lord God, our heavenly Father, we fly to 
thee for succor in behalf of this thy sick servant, 
in this day of his tribulation and danger. We 
know, O Grod, that all things are possible with 
thee. We know that thy arm is not shortened, 
that it can not save, nor thy ear heavy, that it can 
not hear. We know that thou canst, if it be thy 
gracious will, speak the word only, and this thy 
servant shall be healed. And we beseech thee, 
merciful God, thus to interpose thine hand. Take 
away from us this cup of bitterness ; and, if it 
seem good to thee, alleviate his sufferings, and 
remove his complaints, and restore him to health, 
and grant him a longer continuance among us. 
But thy will, Father, and not ours, be done. 
Enable us to submit, with patience and resignation, 
to thy righteous dealing. And grant to this thy 
servant, grace, that his repentance may be perfect, 
his faith strong, his love fervent, and his hope 
steadfast; so that after his departure hence iv 
peace, he may rest with thee forever. 



POR A BLESSING ON THE MEANS OP RECOVERY. 

O Almighty God, by whose word man lives, and 
not by any human means alone, prosper, we be- 
seech thee, the means which are used for the 



OCCASIONAL PRAYERS. 245 

recovery of this thy sick servant. Let not his 
confidence in any human means, lessen his depend- 
ence upon thee. Make him sensible that every 
good gift is from above ; that it is thou only who 
givest help in time of need. To thee, gracious 
God, we fly for succor in the day of our visitation. 
And may this thy sick servant look to thee for 
bodily, as well as spiritual strength and salvation. 
Let thine, God, be the glory, and his the com- 
fort, of the means used for his recovery. Let him 
own thee as the author of his mercies ; to thee pay 
his vows and services ; and to thy glory devote 
the remainder of his days, through Jesus Christ 
our Lord. 



POR A SICK PERSON, AT THE POINT OP 
DEPARTURE. 

O Almighty God, with whom do live the spirits 
of just men made perfect, after they are delivered 
from their earthly prisons, we humbly commend 
the soul of this thy servant, into thy hands ; most 
humbly beseeching thee, that it may be precious 
in thy sight : Wash it, we pray thee, in the blood 
of that Immaculate Lamb, that was slain to take 
away the sins of the world ; that whatsoever de- 
filements it may have contracted in the midst of 
this miserable and sinful world, being purged and 
done away, it may be presented pure and without 
spot before thee. And teach us who survive, in 



246 OCCASIONAL PRAYERS. 

this, and every other spectacle of mortality, to see 
how frail and uncertain our own condition is ; and 
so to number our days, that we may seriously 
apply our hearts to that holy and heavenly wis- 
dom, whilst we live here, which may in the end 
bring us to life everlasting, through the merits of 
Jesus Christ, thine only Son, our Lord. 



PORASICKCHILD. 



Almighty Glod and merciful Father, to whom 
alone belong the issues of life and death, look 
down from heaven, we humbly beseech thee, with 
the eyes of mercy, upon this child, now lying 
under thy hand in sickness. Visit him, Lord, 
with thy salvation ; deliver him in thy good ap- 
pointed time from his bodily disease ; and save his 
soul for thy mercies' sake ; that if it shall be thy 
pleasure to prolong his days here on earth, he may 
live to thee, and be an instrument of thy glorj^, 
by serving thee faithfully, and doing good in his 
generation : Or else receive him into those heav- 
enly habitations, where the souls of those who 
sleep in the Lord Jesus, enjoy perpetual rest and 
felicity : Grant this, Lord, for thy mercies' sake, 
in the name of thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. 



OCCASIONAL PEAYERS. 247 

FOR A PERSON TROUBLED IN MIND OR 

CONSCIENCE. 

blessed Lord, the Father of mercies, and the 
God of all comfort, we beseech thee, look down 
in pity and compassion upon this thy afflicted ser- 
vant. Thou writest bitter things against him, and 
makest him to possess his former iniquities : Thy 
wrath lieth hard upon him, and his soul is full of 
trouble: But, O merciful God, who hast written 
thy holy word for our learning, that we, through 
patience and comfort of thy holy Scriptures, might 
have hope, give him a right understanding of him- 
self, and of thy threats and promises, that he may 
neither cast away his confidence in thee, nor place 
it anywhere but in thee. Give him strength 
against all his temptations, and heal all his dis- 
tempers : Break not the bruised reed, nor quench 
the smoking flax : Shut not up thy tender mercies 
in displeasure; but make him to hear of joy and 
gladness, that the bones which thou hast broken 
may rejoice : Deliver him from fear of the enemy, 
and lift up the light of thy countenance upon him; 
and give him thy peace, through the merits and 
mediation of Jesus Christ our Lord. 



WHEN UNDER AFFLICTION. 

merciful God, and heavenly Father, who hast 
taught us in thy holy word, that thou dost not 



248 OCCASIONAL PRAYERS. 

willingly afflict or grieve the children of men, look 
with pity, we beseech thee, upon us in our present 
sorrows. In thy wisdom thou hast seen fit to visit 
us with trouble, and to bring distress upon us. 
Eemember us, Lord, in thy mercy; sanctify 
thy fatherly correction to us ; endue our souls 
with patience under our affliction, and with resig- 
nation to thy blessed will; comfort us with a 
sense of thy goodness ; lift up thy countenance 
upon us, and give us peace, through Jesus Christ 
our Lord. 



AFTER A FUNERAL. 



God, whose days are without end, and whose 
mercies can not be numbered, grant that the 
solemn services of this day may make us deeply 
sensible of the shortness and uncertainty of human 
life, and of the transitory nature of all earthly 
things. Sanctify to us, and to all the friends and 
relatives of the deceased, this afflictive dispensation 
of thy providence. May the lively sense of the 
bereavment which we have sustained, lead us to 
cleave more closely to thee our God. In all our 
troubles, may our whole trust and confidence be 
placed in thy mercy. Awakened by this visita- 
tion to a realizing sense of our own danger, may 
we resolve to seek supremely those things which 
are above; to resign ourselves and all our con- 
cerns to thy disposal ; and in the fullness of resig- 



OCCASIONAL PRAYERS. 249 

nation, to say with the holy Job : — u The Lord 
gave, and the Lord hath taken away, blessed be 
the name of the Lord." 



FOR A PERSON AT SEA. 



Eternal God, who alone spreadest out the 
heavens, and rnlest the raging of the sea, we com- 
mend to thy Almighty protection, thy servant, for 
whose preservation on the great deep we offer up 
our humble supplications. Guard him, we beseech 
thee, from the dangers of the sea, from pestilence 
and sickness, from the violence of enemies, and 
from every evil to which he may be exposed. 
Conduct him in safety to his place of destination, 
and in thy good time, restore him in health and 
peace, to his home, his family, and his friends: 
And, above all, give him a grateful sense of all 
thy mercies, through Jesus Christ our Lord. 



POR A PERSON ON A JOURNEY. 

Father Almighty, whose mercy is over all 
thy works, we commend to thy protection and 
care, thy servant, now absent from his home and 
family. Preserve him, we beseech thee, in all his 
journeyings; guard him in every danger and 
calamity; keep him in health and safety ; and in 



250 OCCASIONAL PRAYERS. 

thy good time, restore him again to the joys and 
comforts of his household; that he may praise 
thee for all thy mercies, and love and serve thee 
faithfully all his days, through Jesus Christ our 
Lord. 



AFTER AN ORDINATION. 

Almighty Grod, giver of all good things, who by 
thy Holy Spirit hast appointed divers orders of 
ministers in thy Church, mercifully behold thy 
servant, who has this day been admitted to the 
office of [Deacoji or] Priest; and so replenish him 
with the truth of thy doctrine, and adorn him with 
innocency of life, that both by word and good ex- 
ample, he may faithfully serve thee in this office, 
to the glory of thy name, and the edification of 
thy Church, through Jesus Christ our Lord. 



FOR CONVENTIONS. 



Almighty and everlasting God, who, by thy 
Holy Spirit, didst preside in the councils of the 
blessed Apostles, and hast promised, through thy 
Son Jesus Christ, to be with thy Church to the 
end of the world, we beseech thee to be present 
with the council of thy Church now assembled. 
Save them from all error, ignorance, pride, and 



OCCASIONAL PRAYERS. 251 

prejudice; and of thy great mercy, vouchsafe, we 
beseech thee, so to direct, sanctify, and govern 
them in their present work, by the mighty power 
of the Holy Ghost, that the comfortable gospel of 
Christ may be truly preached, truly received, and 
truly followed, in all places, to the breaking down 
of the kingdom of sin, Satan, and death ; till at 
length the whole of thy dispersed sheep, being 
gathered into one fold, shall become partakers of 
everlasting life, through the merits and death of 
Jesus Christ our Saviour. 



FOE RAIN. 

God, heavenly Father, who by thy Son Jesus 
Christ hast promised to all those who seek thy 
kingdom and the righteousness thereof, all things 
necessary to their bodily sustenance, send us, we 
beseech thee, in this our necessity, such refreshing 
supplies of rain, that we may receive the fruits of, 
the earth to our comfort, and to thy honor, 
through Jesus Christ our Lord. 



FOR FAIR WEATHER. 



Almighty and most merciful Father, we humbly 
beseech thee, of thy great goodness, to restrain, 
those immoderate rains, wherewith, for our sins, 



252 OCCASIONAL PEAYEKS. 

thou hast afflicted us : And we pray thee to send 
us such seasonable weather, that the earth may, in 
due time, yield her increase for our use and bene- 
fit ; and give us grace, that we may learn by thy 
punishments to amend our lives, and for thy 
clemency to give thee thanks and praise, through 
Jesus Christ our Lord. 



IN TIME OF DEARTH AND EAMINE. 

God, heavenly Father, whose gift it is that 
the rain doth fall, and the earth bring forth her 
increase, behold, we beseech thee, the afflictions 
of thy people ; increase the fruits of the earth by 
thy heavenly benediction ; and grant that the 
scarcity and dearth, which we now most justly 
suffer for our sins, may, through thy goodness, be 
mercifully turned into plenty, for the love of 
Jesus Christ our Lord. 



IN TIME OE WAR AND TUMULTS. 

O Almighty God, the supreme Governor of all 
things, whose power no creature is able to resist, 
to whom it belongeth justly to punish sinners, and 
to be merciful to those who truly repent, save and 
deliver us, we humbly beseech thee, from the 



OCCASIONAL PKAYERS. 253 

hands of our enemies ; that we, being armed with 
thy defence, may be preserved evermore from all 
perils, to glorify thee, who art the only giver of 
all victory, through the merits of thy Son, Jesus 
Christ our Lord. 



IN TIME OP GREAT SICKNESS AND MORTALITY. 

Almighty God, the Lord of life and death, of 
sickness and health, regard our supplications, we 
humbly beseech thee ; and, as thou hast thought 
fit to visit us for our sins with great sickness and 
mortality, in the midst of thy judgment, Lord, 
remember mercy. Have pity upon us miserable 
sinners, and withdraw from us the grievous sick- 
ness with which we are afflicted. May this thy 
fatherly correction have its due influence upon 
us, by leading us to consider the frailty and un- 
certainty of our life ; that we may apply our 
hearts unto that heavenly wisdom, which in the 
end will bring us to everlasting life, through 
Jesus Christ our Lord. 

22 



Cjjanhagi&ntfls* 



APTER COMMUNION. 



Almighty and everliving God, we most heartily 
thank thee for thy great mercy, in permitting us, 
on this day, to receive the spiritual food of the 
most precious body and blood of thy Son our 
Saviour Jesus Christ. We thank thee for this 
comfortable assurance of thy favor and goodness ; 
and for the blessed hope, that we are very mem- 
bers incorporate in the mystical body of thy Son, 
which is the whole company of all faithful people; 
and are also heirs through grace of thy everlasting 
kingdom, by the merits of the most precious death 
and passion of thy dear Son. And we most hum- 
bly beseech thee, O heavenly Father, so to assist 
us with thy grace, that we may continue in that 
holy fellowship, and do all such good works as 
thou hast prepared for us to walk in, through 
Jesus Christ our Lord. 



FOE, THE BEGINNING OP RECOVERY PROM 

SICKNESS. 

Great and mighty God, who bringest down to 
the grave, and bringest up again, we bless thy 



OCCASIONAL THANKSGIVINGS. 255 

great goodness, for having turned our heaviness 
into joy, and our mourning into gladness, by re- 
storing this thy servant to some degree of his 
former health. Blessed be thy name, that thou 
didst not forsake him in his sickness ; but didst 
visit him with comforts from above ; didst support 
him in patience and submission to thy will ; and, 
at last, didst send him seasonable relief. Perfect, 
we beseech thee, this thy mercy towards him ; and 
prosper the means which shall be made use of for 
his cure : that being restored to health of body, 
vigor of mind, and cheerfulness of spirit, he may 
be able to go to thine house, to offer thee an obla- 
tion with great gladness ; and to bless thy holy 
name for all thy goodness towards Aim, through 
Jesus Christ our Saviour. 



FOR RECOVERY EROM SICKNESS. 

O God, who art the giver of life, of health, and 
of safety, we bless thy name, that thou hast been 
pleased to deliver from his bodily sickness this thy 
servant, who is now enabled to unite with us in 
returning thanks unto thee, for this thy groat 
mercy. Gracious art thou, Lord, and full of 
compassion to the children of men. May his heart 
be duly impressed with a sense of thy merciful 
goodness, and may he devote the residue of his 
days to an humble, holy, and obedienl walking 
before thee, through Jesus Christ our Lord. 



256 OCCASIONAL THANKSGIVINGS, 

FOR A SAFE RETURN FROM SEA. 

Most gracious Lord, whose mercy is over all thy 
works, we praise thy holy name, that thou hast 
been pleased to conduct in safety, through the 
perils of the great deep, this thy servant, who now 
desires to unite with us in returning thanks to 
thee. May he be duly sensible of thy merciful 
providence towards him, and ever express his 
thankfulness, by a holy trust in thee, and obedi- 
ence to thy laws, through Jesus Christ our Lord. 



FOR A SAFE RETURN FROM A JOURNEY. 

Merciful Father, we bless thee for thy providen- 
tial care in protecting this thy servant, in his late 
absence from his home and family. We thank 
thee for his preservation in his journeyings; for 
his exemption from danger, and sickness, and 
death; and for his safe return to the joys and 
comforts of his household. May he ever praise 
thee for all thy mercies, and love and serve thee 
faithfully all his days, through Jesus Christ our 
Lord. 



AFTER THE BIRTH OF A CHILD. 

O Almighty God, we give thee humble thanks, 
for that thou hast been graciously pleased to pre- 



OCCASIONAL THANKSGIVINGS. 257 

serve, through the great pain and peril of child- 
birth, thy servant, in whose behalf we desire now 
to offer our praises and thanksgivings unto thee. 
Grant, we beseech, thee, most merciful Father, 
that she, through thy help, may both faithfully live 
and walk according to thy will in this life present, 
and also may be partaker of everlasting glory in 
the life to come, through Jesus Christ our Lord. 



FOR RAIN. 



God, our heavenly Father, who by thy gra- 
cious providence dost cause the former and the 
latter rain to descend upon the earth, that it may 
bring forth fruit for the use of man, we give thee 
humble thanks that it hath pleased thee, in our 
great necessity, to send a joyful rain upon thine 
inheritance, and to refresh it when it was dry, to 
the great comfort of us thy unworthy servants, 
and to the glory of thy holy name, through thy 
mercies in Jesus Christ our Lord. 



FOR FAIR "WEATHER. 



O Lord God, who hast justly humbled us by thy 
late visitation of immoderate rain and storms, and 
in thy mercy hast now relieved and comforted us 
by this seasonable and blessed change of weather. 

22* 



258 OCCASIONAL THANKSGIVINGS. 

we praise and glorify thy holy name, for this thy 
mercy : And we beseech thee to grant us grace, 
always to declare thy loving kindness, from genera- 
tion to generation, through Jesus Christ our Lord. 



FOE PLENTY. 



most merciful Father, who of thy gracious 
goodness, hast heard our prayers and supplica- 
tions, and turned our dearth and scarcity into 
plenty, we give thee humble thanks for this thy 
special bounty ; beseeching thee to continue thy 
loving kindness unto us, that our land may yield 
us her fruits of increase, to thy glory and our 
comfort, through Jesus Christ our Lord. 



EOR A RETURN OE PEACE. 

Almighty God, who art a strong tower of 
defense unto thy servants, against the face of their 
enemies, we yield thee praise and thanksgiving 
for our deliverance from the perils and dangers 
wherewith we have been encompassed, and for a 
restoration of the blessings of peace ; beseeching 
thee still to continue thy mercies towards us, that 
all the world may know that thou art our Saviour 
and mighty Deliverer, through Jesus Christ our 
Lord. 



OCCASIONAL THANKSGIVINGS. 259 

FOR THE RESTORATION OE TRANQUILITY AT 
HOME. 

eternal God, our heavenly Father, who alone 
canst order and subdue the unruly wills and affec- 
tions of sinful men, and make thy people to be of 
one mind, we bless thy holy name, that it hath 
pleased thee to appease the domestic tumults and 
troubles, by which our land has been afflicted; 
most humbly beseeching thee to grant to all of us 
grace, that we may henceforth obediently walk in 
thy holy commandments; and, leading a quiet 
and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty, may 
continually offer unto thee our sacrifice of praise 
and thanksgiving for these thy mercies towards 
us, through Jesus Christ our Lord. 



EOR DELIVERANCE EROM GREAT SICKNESS AND 
MORTALITY. 

Lord God, who hast wounded us for our sins, 
and consumed us for our transgressions, by thy 
late heavy and dreadful visitation; and now, in 
the midst of judgment remembering mercy, hast 
redeemed our souls from the terrors of death ; we 
offer unto thy fatherly goodness ourselves, our souls 
and bodies, which thou, hast delivered, to be a liv- 
ing sacrifice unto thee ; always praising and magni- 
fying thy mercies, through Jesus Christ our Lord, 



Ilmittp attfr (Sons at €Mt. 



BEFORE MEALS 



Father of mercies, pardon our transgressions ; 
accept our imperfect services, and bless this 
bounty of thy providence to our use, and us to 
thy service, for Christ's sake. Amen. 



We bless thee, God, for covering our table 
with plenty, and for the present opportunity of 
partaking of thy bounties. Nourish our bodies 
with these provisions of thy hand, and our souls 
with the bread of life, for the sake of Jesus Christ 
our Lord. Amen. 



AETER MEALS. 



For the daily blessings and bounties of thy 
hand; for this present refreshment; and for all 
thy other mercies, both temporal and spiritual; 
thy holy name, O God, be praised, through Jesus 
Christ our Lord. Amen. 



BLESSINGS AND GRACES AT TABLE. 261 

God, for all thy mercies ; for the food that 
supports our bodies, and the grace that sustains 
our souls; we bless and praise thy holy name, 
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 



* 17 82 














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